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268

TIL that pencil is etymologically related to penis, but not pen

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b9y1p TIL Using lasers, Stanford scientists transformed hydrocarbon molecules in oil and natural gas into pure diamonds.
v1OV4 TIL of the Unsolved Hinterkaifeck Mystery. German farmer found footprints leading from the woods to his farm, but no footprints going back. Days later he was murdered along with his whole family.
dDLLd TIL: At the height of the Roman Empire, it's GDP was estimated to be worth $32 billion today. The average roman soldier makes $3.25 a month, but were given large sums from looting while their officers made $10,000 a month. Interestingly, professors in academia were better paid than modern teachers.
QJrvL TIL that classic rock musician Todd Rundgren formed a band in Philly in the late-60’s called Nazz that was moderately successful, while at the same time in Phoenix another band formed calling themselves Nazz also, but after releasing one single they moved to LA and renamed themselves Alice Cooper
M6bb TIL the U.S. government spent years holding fake arrival ceremonies honoring the return of American soldiers killed in WWII, Vietnam, and Korea to American soil, but the planes were actually empty. The ceremonies were known by staff as “The Big Lie.”