› added 10 years ago

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TIL last year the 80 richest people in the world had more wealth than half the world’s population combined. Only 4 years earlier the number was 388.

Read more fivethirtyeight.com

via reddit.com

ZlNa TIL: In the early 19th century, the East India Company, had cut off the hands of hundreds of weavers in Bengal in order to destroy the indigenous weaving industry in favor of British textile imports.
yVbDX TIL that humans produce 10^21 digital bits of information annually, and assuming an annual 20% growth rate, in 500 years, digital content will account for more than half Earth’s mass.
4rAJ TIL that a porn star was elected to the Italian Parliament in 1987. During office, she offered to have sex with Saddam Hussein in return for peace in the region.
KdoE TIL that Native Canadians were forcibly taken from their homes to attend cultural Reform Schools from 1840–1960. The last school closed in 1996.
4k06o TIL that sleighs driven on Ontario Canada highways must by law have a minimum of two bells, the fine for breaking this law is $5.