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94

TIL that during World War II King George VI was at war with Germany as the King of the UK, but as King of Ireland he was also at peace with Germany and validated the credentials of German ambassadors. After WWII he was at war with himself as King of India and separately King of Pakistan.

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6EweZ TIL the French used the guillotine as their standard method of execution until capital punishment was outlawed in 1981
ADeQd TIL The US National Park Service put out a set of guidelines to avoid being attacked by a bear, such as moving sideways away from the bear and vocalizing to identify yourself as a human. They also advised: “Do NOT push down a slower friend (even if you think the friendship has run its course)."
9Qe6 TIL that the Quality Cafe is one of the most recycled sets in all of Hollywood, and shut down in 2006 to solely become a movie set.
GAWK1 TIL about Maria Spelterini, who in 1876 became the first (and only) woman to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. She crossed several more times with increasingly difficult handicaps: peach baskets strapped to her feet, blindfolded, and with her wrists and ankles shackled together.
wea6 TIL personal genomics company 23andMe has used customer genetic information to obtain a patent to test for propensity to develop Parkinson’s disease, and has also received a patent allowing parents to hand-pick genes for their children.