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TIL that the Cagots were a persecuted minority with unknown origins in France and Spain who had no genetic, language, or cultural differences to the overall population

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epAV5 TIL The Disaster comes the greek δυσ- (dus-) "bad"[9] and ἀστήρ meaning Bad Star. Separately it has long been thought the biggest threat to modern society is Solar Storm much like the Carrington event of 1859
PGGV TIL a study showed that 2.6% of Ants in a colony are always active. Over 25% are observed to never be working, and 71.9% are inactive half of the time.
r1K4 TIL that Tom Hanks in Castaway allowed himself to gain weight to fit the role of a middle-aged man. Production was then halted for a year so he could lose 50 pounds and grow out his hair for his time spent on the island. During the hiatus, Robert Zemeckis used the same crew for What Lies Beneath.
XEWpD TIL in 2013, Neil Gaiman performed a reading of “A Christmas Carol” using Charles Dickinson’s personal copy that he used specifically for live readings, complete with notes and directions, in full victorian costume. The performance was recorded (audio only) and subsequently released online. Enjoy!
l7Mm1 TIL that Inuit from Greenland traveled to Scotland via kayak. The first recorded instance was in 1682, but it's possible Inuit had made the trip for hundreds of years prior. One of their kayaks is even preserved in Aberdeen, Scotland.