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TIL: The thin skin of soil that covers much of our planet's land stores more amounts of carbon than in all plants and the atmosphere combined

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m6rY TIL that an “Arena” actually refers the special ultra-fine sand that was used in gladiatorial coliseums to soak up blood quicker.
16QQ7 TIL the record for the longest time to complete the marathon is over 54 years
b0Wa TIL the doctor that proposed medical professionals should wash their hands before handling patients was so mocked by his peers that he suffered from a nervous breakdown. He was committed to a mental institution, dying from a septic wound that was not treated properly.
ADJD4 TIL there was a “no-nose club” in the 19th century for sufferers of syphilis whose noses had collapsed
6EG1Z TIL a “devil’s advocate” was a person sanctioned by the Vatican to argue against the canonization of a potential new saint by pointing out their flaws and critically evaluating their miracles. Christopher Hitchens served as a devil’s advocate for Mother Theresa.