› added 7 months ago

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TIL - the English word for Bear is descended from a Proto-Indo-European euphemism meaning brown one or wild animal, as it was feared saying it's real name 'arkto' would cause the animal to appear.

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lOjr TIL a medication called DRACO (developed by MIT researchers) could potentially cure you from any known virus from herpes to the flu if they had the support and funding to continue it.
jAEv TIL R. Norris Williams survived the Titanic sinking but spent so much time submerged in the icy Atlantic that doctors wanted to amputate his legs on rescue ship Carpathia. He refused the amputation ,recovered and went on to win the U.S. Tennis Championship that very same year
jrKj TIL Valve has a flat organisation structure where everybody has an equal voice and anybody can ship a product
QRka TIL the Marii-El Republic in Russia is the homeland of the Mari people, many of whom still follow their polytheistic indigenous religion. Possibly the only unbroken spiritual lineage to survive Christianisation in Europe. The Mari native religion comprehends tree worship and animal sacrifices
wL9K1 TIL after a city loses the Super Bowl, cardiovascular deaths and total deaths jump due to stress