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TIL that the reason so many south and central Asian countries end in “stan” is because it’s an ancient word for “land of” or “homeland”

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nebL9 TIL the name "Derek Zoolander" was inspired by two Calvin Klein models at the time: Mark Vanderloo & Johnny Zander
D1A4v TIL Jadin Bell was a sophomore in high school, where he committed suicide due to excessive bullying. His father planned to walk across the country to spread awareness for bullying, where he was killed by a semi.
nM9Y TIL of Arithmomania, a compulsion suffered by vampires to count seeds or grains of rice, ergo why on the American TV show Sesame Street, the character Count von Count is always shown counting various objects
9Y0BQ TIL The Halifax Explosion was the biggest man made non weapons test explosion that resulted in casualties, with force equivalent to 2.9 kilotons of TNT the explosion caused 60 foot tsunami's and a shock wave that traveled at 7889 meter/s (23X speed of sound) and temperatures of 9,000°F at the center
nWgYr TIL that during the American Revolutionary War, African-Americans served in the British army over 2-to-1 versus in the American army because they viewed a British victory as a way to achieve freedom from slavery