› added 12 years ago

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TIL After the Taliban destroyed the ancient Buddha statues, archaeologists discovered a series of ancient caves with treasures in them, including what is believed to be the oldest oil painting ever discovered

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via reddit.com

a7MA TIL the cars that were given away by Oprah cost the recipients up to $7,000 due to the fact they were marketed as a prize instead of a gift (the latter is not taxed). Many had to forfeit their prize or sell it if they could not afford their “free car”.
Z8baY TIL about the Mammoth Cheese, a 22,000 lb block of Canadian cheddar which was entered into the Chicago World Fair of 1893. When it was placed on its display it crashed through the wooden floor and was then moved to a reinforced concrete floor. It won a bronze medal at the fair.
NXBwQ TIL that 'Swimming Reindeer' is the name given to a highly detailed 13,000 year-old ivory sculpture. Carved in the late Ice Age, it depicts two migrating reindeer (m & f) and shows a sophisticated understanding of their anatomy & behaviour. Antlers, fur, genitalia, udders & markings are all shown.
NXx8N TIL that the first movie about the sinking of the Titanic premiered just 31 days after the event. It starred Dorothy Gibson, an actual survival of the tragedy, who co-wrote the script and played a fictionalized version of herself. It's now lost, as the last known prints were destroyed in a fire
JYV58 TIL that companies don't follow the existing standard for the sizing of women's clothes. In 1937 a woman with a 32" bust would wear a size 14. In 1967 it was an 8. Then in 2011, it was a size 0. More expensive brands of women's pants tend to be smaller than those from cheaper brands.