› added 8 years ago

265

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

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R7WM9 TIL that The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) changed its name to World Taekwondo because of the "negative connotations" associated with its initials. The organisation had used the previous name since it was established in 1973.
Z8GB TIL the loudest events in the universe are starquakes. The largest ever recorded was in 2004, the star Magnatar SGR 1806-20 adjusted itself with the force equal to 22.7 on the Richter scale. It happened 50,000 ly away from Earth, but if it was 10 ly away, it would have caused mass extinction.
AD6mw TIL that many Chinese soldiers that came into contact with protestors at Tiananmen Square refused to open fire on civilians. One official even refused to obey orders by pretending he didn't receive any messages. There was even infighting between the various units over violence against civilians.
epndE TIL about de Clérambault's Syndrome, a disorder where someone has delusions of another person being infatuated with them. One case involved a woman who believed King George V of England was communicating his love for her by moving the curtains at Buckingham Palace.
OoWMR TIL Apples, potatoes, and other produce can be and are often stored for up to a year before they are shipped to stores.