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TIL that in 1940 the first British paratroops were trained by stunt men because parachuting was rare and considered a “circus stunt”

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via reddit.com

VBNQm TIL that American rapper Flo Rida represented the nation of San Marino at the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest
X0MKQ TIL that air sirens are not just really loud speakers but spinning wheels that create pressure waves
XEBvj TIL as part of the Imperial Examination in Ming and Qing dynasty China, candidates would bring stationery, food, water, bedding and a chamber pot to be isolated with in a tiny room for 3 days and 2 nights to write essays. If any died, the bodies were simply wrapped in a mat and tossed over the wall.
78DvP TIL that if light moved slower than the speed of sound, our perception of reality would fundamentally change, as we’d hear events before seeing them.
E1Eg0 TIL that Los Angeles County libraries allow kids 21 and under to read away what they owe in late fees at a rate of $5 per hour. Since the program launched last year, LA County libraries have logged more than 50,000 reading sessions and reinstated more than 13,000 previously blocked accounts.