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TIL that playing Taps at military funerals started with a Union soldier’s funeral held too close to the enemy to risk a traditional gun salute giving away their position. They played Taps to give a quieter salute. It was also named Taps because the bugle melody was often followed by three drum taps.

b6lyQ TIL that the Palace of Justice in Belgium has been under renovation continuously since 1984, so long that the scaffolding used for the renovation is now in need of renovation itself since it is dangerously rusty
N7RMP TIL in 1989, the American Homecoming Act helped children born from U.S soldiers in Vietnam come to the U.S with their families. They based this only on the child's appearance. It was controversial since it didn't apply to the kids of U.S soldiers in other countries.
7rDdZ TIL Tamil Siddhas carve iconic symbols for the Hindu god Shiva out of solidified mercury, using a secret process to solidify the mercury passed down through centuries which has still not been totally understood or replicated using modern chemistry
VBvoB TIL that the Colossus of Constantine, a 12-meter (40-foot) ancient statue of the Roman emperor, had two right hands
pY5GN TIL The average IQ difference between a parent and child is the same as the difference between siblings, about 12 IQ points. A parent with a high IQ will usually, but not always, have children whose IQs are somewhat lower than theirs but are still above the average for the general population