› added 10 years ago

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TIL that, in 1957, a terminal cancer patient was given a worthless drug that caused his tumors to “melt like snowballs on a hot stove.” When he found out it was proven worthless, his cancer returned. He was given a placebo version and it went away again. He learned the truth, then died soon after.

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via reddit.com

OGVX6 TIL there's a town in the Netherlands called Poortugaal. About 10Km south of the center of Rotterdam, the town's flag and coat of arms are also heavily inspired by Portugal's.
1aByW TIL that banknotes were invented by Chinese in the 6th century for replacing coins as burial money. They started using it as currency in 812. The oldest conserved banknote is called "Kuan", made of mulberry tree bark, and dates from 1375.
EgDVw TIL that the blue jay can be beneficial to other birds, as it may chase predatory birds and will scream if it sees a predator within its territory. It has also been known to sound an alarm call when hawks or other dangers are near, and smaller birds often recognize it and hide.
J1aVv TIL about Elizabeth Bathory, the "Blood Countess" who is believed to have tortured and killed hundreds of young girls in 16th century Hungary. She bathed in their blood, hoping it would preserve her youth. She was caught, tried, and sentenced to life imprisonment for her gruesome crimes.
QJjZ6 TIL the voice of the primary Soviet radio announcer during WW2, a Jewish man named Yuri Levitan, was so unique and inspiring that Hitler personally placed a bounty (250,000 Reichsmarks, which is roughly $1.3 million dollars in today’s currency) on him.