› added 2 months ago

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TIL over 20 years ago, geneticists found a way to decaffeinate coffee plants

Read more newscientist.com

via reddit.com

LkwZ TIL that Gandhi wrote a letter to “every Briton” urging them to surrender to Hitler and “Let them take possession of your beautiful island, with your many beautiful buildings.”
X0XLD TIL that artist Margaret Keane had her work plagiarized by her own husband for over 10 years. After winning her court case and leaving her husband, her notably sad and gloomy artwork took on a much happier style.
0wmRR TIL that the French soldier Jean Bernadotte became so popular in Sweden that they elected him king in 1818 when their own royal family was about to die out. The Bernadotte family still rules in Sweden today
d89d7 TIL Churches in Europe once employed “dog whippers” who would whip unruly dogs on church grounds during services. They also popped sleepy parishioners on the head in England.
YyoA TIL the Japanese anthem is so controversial for some people that a Vice Principal once killed himself instead of honoring the flag and anthem like he was required to by the Board of Education