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TIL That Japanese people have a literacy rate of almost 100%.

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via reddit.com

5VmoP TIL of Richard Francis Burton, an 19th century British explorer and writer, who disguised himself as Muslim in order to get into both Mecca and Medina. While he was not the first European to go to either one of those cities, his pilgrimage is the most famous and best documented of the time.
YBJr TIL In December 1952 the Tower Bridge started to open while a double-decker bus was passing. The driver, Albert Gunton made the decision to accelerate, clearing a 3 ft gap to drop 6 ft onto the north bascule, which had not yet started to rise. There were no serious injuries.
rj7o TIL About puck fair in Killorglin, Ireland. Three days a year, a goat is crowned king of the town. A theory on the origin of the fair is a goat broke from its herd and warned the citizens of an English attack. They would rather have a goat king rather than English king.
aPdo TIL Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca from Star Wars) had to be accompanied by people wearing brightly-colored vests while filming Endor scenes in the Pacific Northwest, as to not be mistaken for Bigfoot and shot.
YAx7 TIL the expression “May you live in interesting times” is known as the Chinese curse