› added 11 years ago

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TIL that Peter the Great made moustaches a requirement for every soldier in the Russian Army.

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ZpD1v TIL that in the late 1800's and early 1900's, gambling on US elections was extremely widespread. In New York, the amount of money spent on betting on elections would often exceed the total trading in stocks and bonds. Since there weren't modern polls, betting odds were how newspaper predicted races.
1aO6r TIL researchers found naturally occurring lithium in the water supply lowered suicide rates. They were able to measure lithium levels in 27 Texas counties and show those with more lithium in their water had fewer suicides. Similar studies in Greece, Austria, & Japan corroborated the results.
4XvAg TIL During the Dust Bowl, in Texas and Oklahoma static electricity was so bad children would run up to their mothers for a hug, and both would wake up on the ground, knocked unconscious by a massive static shock. Two men shaking hands could knock each other out.
4XYR TIL 1 out of 2 males, and 1 out of 3 females will get cancer in their lifetime.
RBE4 TIL Doug Funnie from Nickelodeon’s ‘Doug’ was originally a character in Florida grapefruit juice commercials.