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TIL Czechoslovak runner Emil Zátopek decided to compete in the marathon in the 1952 Olympics, despite never having run that distance in his life. Zátopek asked fellow runner Jim Peters, who he was racing alongside, if the pace was fast enough. When Peters said “no”, Zátopek sped up and won the race

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LQ7wd TIL Elmer J. Fudd, millionaire, evolved from an earlier Merrie Melodies character Elmer Egghead. Fudd acquired a family name related to the German “Fuddeln” (to swindle; cheat; work negligently) and the English “befuddle” (to perplex; confuse; to stupefy, esp, with alcohol)
Zp8Jp TIL South Asians are “starvation-adapted,” due to having survived at least 24 major famines in a 50-year period. As a result, they are six times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than the general population, as well as four times more likely to have a heart attack before the age of 50.
WEXo TIL that the two ethnic groups, the Hutus and the Tutsis, in the Rwandan Genocide were designated by European colonists somewhat arbitrarily. A Hutu could become a Tutsi by acquiring ten cows.
ne9Er TIL there's a Buddhist majority republic in Europe called Kalmykia. It's part of Russia, many inhabitants are ethnically Mongolian and it's capital features several beautiful Buddhist temples.
neGd7 TIL there is a big difference in asking for “Everything” and “All The Way” when it comes to ordering toppings on your hotdog/hamburger and there’s slight variations of what that means all over the country.