› added 12 years ago

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TIL there is an extinct genus of ape, Gigantopithecus blacki, which stood up to 3 metres tall, weighed as much as 540 kg and have actually been contemporary with modern humans for tens of thousands of years. (Sorry if repost)

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BAkK TIL that the woman who (at age 11) suggested they name the newly-discovered trans-Neptunian celestial body “Pluto” lived long enough to see the International Astronomical Union demote Pluto to the status of “dwarf planet”, 76 years later.
l84K TIL that The Lonely Island’s song “Dick In A Box” won an Emmy award for “outstanding original music and lyrics”
awmLL TIL France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands used GMT prior to WW2. The Germans changed them all to Berlin Time (GMT +1h) during the occupation and they never switched back. [Spain also changed in solidarity with Germany.]
wL4k8 TIL that for a short time, the planet Uranus was called George
1W7P TIL that in 2007 a soldier in the British army was declared dead after he was caught in an explosion in Afghanistan. When his body was being washed for the body bag, they noticed a pulse. He was flown to hospital where he recovered and went on to take part in the 2012 Paralympics.