› added 3 years ago

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TIL while studying Madagascar periwinkle leaves used as folk remedy for diabetes in the 1950s, scientists found plummeting white blood cells instead and isolated out vinblastine and vincristine — effective chemotherapy drugs which has dramatically improved survival in leukemia patients.

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KOamJ TIL that Wash and Book were killed off in "Serenity" because their actors, Alan Tudyk and Ron Glass, couldn't commit to doing sequels
0wbpN TIL Ethiopia uses a 13-month calendar and is between 7 and 8 years behind the Gregorian calendar used in the rest of world. New Years is either on August 29 or August 30.
4kryR TIL of Buford Pusser, the inspiration for the "Walking Tall" movies. As sheriff he waged a one-man war against the Dixie mafia in his small town. He survived multiple assassination attempts, including one which killed his wife. He eventually died in a one-person car accident at 36 years of age.
6EK6J TIL that in Papua New Guinea, sorcery is legally defined: "Good magic", used for things like healing and fertility, is legal; while "Black magic", held responsible for unexplained deaths, is illegal
awBwL TIL an Aboriginal man planted a flag on the cliffs of Dover in 1988 and claimed England for the Aborigines