› added 9 years ago

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TIL Goosebumps on the human body are remnants of when we had a lot of body hair. When scared, our hair would “fluff” out, making us look bigger, to scare off predictors.

yQ7rl TIL about Humbert of Moyenmoutier, who was sent by the Pope to carefully negotiate with the Patriarch of Constantinople. When the Patriarch failed to greet Humbert warmly, Humbert excommunicated the Patriarch in the Pope's name, creating the Great Schism, splitting the Christian church in half.
9BZM TIL that because of Aboriginal avoidance laws, Many Australian television programs and films include a title card warning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to “use caution viewing this film, as it may contain images or voices of dead persons”
eyeL TIL that German children are taught the dangers of misbehavior through traumatic stories. These include a child having his thumbs cut off for thumbsucking and a girl who burns to death for playing with matches
GAyMN TIL The Keroman Base in Lorient France was Among the last WWII Strongholds to surrender because it was so heavily fortified not even bombing will destroy it. In the Battle of the Atlantic allies chose to bomb the surroundings instead to reduce its effectiveness. It could harbor 30 U-boats.
nerKG TIL Many famous people purchased tickets for Titanic's maiden voyage, but did not actually sail. These included Hershey’s Chocolate founder Milton S. Hershey; inventor G. Marconi; J.P. Morgan, the American banking and steel magnate; and Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, one of the richest men in America.