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TIL that Ryan Gosling was fired from The Lovely Bones after gaining 60 pounds for the role by drinking melted Häagen-Dazs ice cream. He had envisioned the character as overweight, but the director disagreed, leading to his dismissal.

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via reddit.com

GARKQ TIL that the first national speed limit law of 55mph passed in 1974 in the US was not because of safety concerns, but because fast-traveling vehicles would have exacerbated the oil shortage at the time
wLxZo TIL that the Black Plague caused a revolution in Medieval England by decimating serf communities, thereby significantly decreasing the available work force. The surviving serfs were able to exert hitherto unimaginable pressure of their lords, resulting in higher pay and more liberties.
16ym8 TIL the Chew Valley Hoard, a cache of 2,584 silver coins dating to the Norman Conquest (1066-1068), sold for $5.6m to become the most valuable treasure ever found in Britain. Discovered by 7 metal detectorists, the coins feature the likeness of Harold II, William the Conqueror & Edward the Confessor
x6Nj7 TIL that average human height went down from 5'10" (178 cm) for men and 5'6" (168 cm) for women to 5'5" (165 cm) and 5'1" (155 cm) 10,000 years ago and it took until the 20th century for average human height to match pre-Neolithic Revolution levels.
nexZP TIL Burger King Russia offered free Whoppers for life to any woman who got pregnant by a World Cup 2018 player. The company later apologized.