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TIL Soviet pseudoscientist Lysenko promoted Marxist theories in agriculture like “there will be no ‘class warfare’ among plants of the same species, so seeds can be planted close together and will grow in harmony.” The adoption of these ideas in China caused crop failure and millions of deaths.

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gGb TIL In 1897, three men tried to reach the North Pole in a hydrogen-filled balloon. The balloon crashed two days after lift-off and the men spent the next 3 months trying to walk back to civilization…only to be eaten by polar bears.
GAl6Q TIL that it's called "splooting", when squirrels and other animals lay flat to cool themselves down.
rR4mw TIL that according to the FDA, ketchup cannot flow more than 14 centimeters in 30 seconds at 20 degrees Celsius when tested in a Bostwick Consistometer. Otherwise, it must be labeled “Below Standard in Quality.”
K15a TIL that in the early 1800s the British spent many hundred of thousands of pounds bribing countries to stop the slave trade
XEKBR TIL After an Australian radio host used his influence to demand advertisements be shown on the Sydney Opera House, a comedy group projected "Advertise Here" on the landmark followed by the radio host's home phone number, causing him to apologize on air after he was flooded with calls