› added 6 years ago

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TIL The Romans used to send each other little postcards made of a thin layer of flexible wood written on in ink and then folded in two. About 400 tablets (in fragments) were found near where Hadrian's wall would be built. They tell us a great deal about the nature of life on the Roman frontier.

rRklM TIL One of the hardest parts of SAS selection is that unlike other areas of the military where you're ordered to do something, here you're simply asked politely, to prove your self-motivation - which most potential recruits can't handle
kOYQ4 TIL that when cardinals failed to elect a pope for 2 years, a hermit warned them of divine vengeance. Cardinals elected him as Pope Celestine V. He refused and tried to flee, and after being persuaded, he wrote two decrees: for fixing the papal elections and for allowing him to resign. Then resigned
4gG6 TIL according to neuroscience recordings of brain waves Matthieu Ricard, a buddhist monk, is literally the happiest person ever tested.
WQMd TIL that in 1981 DC police ignored repeated 911 calls and allowed 3 women to be raped. The womens resulting lawsuit was dismissed, setting a precedent that the police have no duty to assist, even if the emergency dispatcher says help is on the way.
KOKeR TIL that OG Spider-Man Tobey Maguire was at the center of the underground poker scene for the wealthy elite in LA and he "was the worst tipper, the best player, and the absolute worst loser". He used his best friend Leo DiCaprio as a lure to get billionaires to the table.