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TIL the theory that dinosaurs were driven to extinction by an asteroid was only proposed as recently as 1980.

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NL5Q TIL Turkey Vultures were used by natural gas companies to pinpoint pipeline leaks. Natural gas is odorless, so gas companies add the chemical ethyl mercaptan so that people can smell gas leaks. Ethyl mercaptan is emitted by putrefying animal carcasses. So leaks in gas pipelines attract vultures.
a8E5o TIL that elephants were once used as executioners in South and Southeast Asia. In India, rogue elephants were trained to carry out executions by crushing, dismembering, or torturing victims with their immense power.
worv7 TIL The Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu has only one hotel- the 16 room Vaiaku Langi Hotel near the airport on Funafuti
YGGA TIL Brazil was home of the largest Nazi party outside Germany, with more than 40,000 affiliates.
nWVl7 TIL the Arabic numerals were actually invented by the Hindus. Arabs got the credit as they invaded India, saw the usefulness of their writings, adopted it and were the ones to spread it to the world