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TIL in the early 2000's Serena and Venus Williams, along with their father Richard, were regularly accused of "match fixing" when the sisters competed against one another. One incident, where Venus pulled out entirely from a semifinal match against her sister (tendinitis), had fans demanding refunds

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5Ydkk TIL that the color orange was called "red-yellow" until the English-speaking world was introduced to the fruit that was named "orange."
e0drJ TIL Hercules, Roman god and son of Zeus, killed his wife Megara and children. In repentance, Hercules had to complete the Twelve Labours of Heracles in order to become immortal. It took him 12 years to complete the journey.
gMly9 TIL the plasma globe was invented accidentally by an MIT undergrad, who was working in a lab to create electrical rocket engines. Right after inventing it, he naturally brought it to his girlfriend's house party.
6EZEl TIL: Lake Chad in Central Africa is the remnant of an ancient inland sea referred to as Mega Chad
vbxx TIL there was a punishment called “Derby’s dose”, in which “[A] runaway [slave] would be beaten, and salt pickle, lime juice, and bird pepper would be rubbed into their open wounds. Another slave would defecate into the mouth of the miscreant, who would then be gagged for hours.”