› added 12 years ago

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TIL In 1797, both houses of congress unanimously passed the sentiment that “the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion” and that technically still carries the force of federal law to this day

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DQEAj TIL that Atropine (the drug used to dilate eyes) is made from the "Belladonna plant". The name "bella donna" is derived from Italian and means "beautiful woman", because the herb was used hundreds of years ago by women to dilate their pupils to make them appear seductive.
KO1kB TIL the naming system for unearthed dinosaur fossils didn't start until 1758, and that the first named bone was called "Scrotum humanum" -- because it was originally believed to be the ball sack of an ancient giant man
KEDG TIL in 2005 a man managed to trade a red paperclip for a house by making a series of swaps. Along the way he managed to get a musician a contract, met Alice Cooper and hosted “Saskatchewan’s biggest housewarming party, ever.”
JW5l TIL that companies have begun treating their meat with nitrates and then packing & storing the product in a carbon monoxide atmosphere. The carbon monoxide gas in the package slows the discoloration of the meat, keeping it ‘looking’ pink and fresh.
7Dox TIL Albert Einstein wrote a 1946 open letter titled ‘The Negro Question’, in which he concluded, “I believe that whoever tries to think things through honestly will soon recognize how unworthy and even fatal is the traditional bias against Negroes.”