› added 7 years ago

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TIL that an “Arena” actually refers the special ultra-fine sand that was used in gladiatorial coliseums to soak up blood quicker.

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69Rpm TIL: That John Candy's father died of complications of heart disease at age 35 in 1955 when Candy was just five years old.
R7b8a TIL that an Alabama bloodhound joined a half marathon after her owner let her out to go pee. She ran the entire 13.1 miles and finished 7th.
R7yE1 TIL an unknown black organic material was found preserved on 2 altars at the entrance to a shrine's holy of holies, part of a fortress guarding the southern border of biblical Judah. Testing them found frankincense and cannabis, the first time the latter has been identified in the Ancient Near East.
p8oe4 TIL a poor 19th century Chinese man failed the civil service exam, fell ill, reread a Christian pamphlet he had earlier ignored, & hallucinated that he was Jesus' brother. He led a cult/rebellion that conquered much of southern China, crowning himself as king. This civil war killed over 10 million.
BgL5e TIL that Gene Kelly was sick while filming the iconic scene from “Singin’ in the rain”.