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TIL most maps distort the size of many countries. Greenland and South America tend to look roughly the same size even though South America is 8.2 times larger. Canada is also smaller than the typical representation, and South Africa much larger.

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namb TIL in 1999 in a chess match called Kasparov versus the World, World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov played against over 50,000 players voting for the best opposing move over the internet. Kasparov won.
1aJr7 TIL in the 1960s, two doctors made a taxidermy female turkey to see what attracted a male. They discovered almost nothing stopped the male’s advances, even when the female’s wings, feet, and legs were removed. The male even made attempts to a stick with female’s head on it.
OovwY TIL Weddellite crystals can be found at the bottom of a sea near Antarctica and in kidney stones in the human body.
R7bD6 TIL in the 1880s, many farmers communicated by connecting their phones to barbed wire fences. This process often allowed for up to 20 people to be connected at once, everyone’s phone would ring regardless of who called, and the invention helped many farmers overcome depression and loneliness.
oBaoA TIL of Shoichi Yokoi, a sergeant in the Japanese Army during WW2. He went into hiding after the Battle of Guam, living in the jungle with several others for 28 years, though he was alone for the remaining 8 years. After his capture he returned to Japan, married and became a popular TV personality.