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TIL: Before the invention of toothbrushes, Europeans cleaned their teeth with rags rolled in salt or soot while Indians and Africans chewed on sticks from the Salvadora tree.

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XXpR TIL General Douglas MacArthur earned seven Silver Stars in WWI, vomited on the White House steps, wore a kimono while working at home as Army Chief of Staff, was awarded the very first Purple Heart, was Father of the Year in 1942, and told JFK to not get involved in Vietnam
D4OY TIL that some cultures believed Vampires were arithmomaniacs and if you were being chased you could throw a handful of rice at them to forced the Vampire to stop and count each grain. This could also be the origin of “The Count” from Sesame Street.
5YD9n TIL about autological words ("English", "parasyllabic", "unhyphenated") which describe themselves, and heterological words ("long", "hyphenated", "monosyllabic") which do not describe themselves. "Heterological" itself cannot logically be autological or heterological: The "Grelling–Nelson Paradox"
QJMpd TIL The Texas Hold 'em opening hand of Ace-King off suit is sometimes referred to as an Anna Kournikova - both for the initials (AK) and because the hand looks good, but does not win much.
mxJmo TIL Asphalt pavements are America's most recycled product. Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) can be recycled into pavement that is as high, or even higher, in quality as pavements made of all-virgin materials. And, the same material can be recycled again and again; it never loses its value.