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TIL That up to 62% of Icelanders believe in Elves

Read more bbc.com

via reddit.com

M7oxA TIL that most of the "baby carrots" we see are large carrots that are placed into a machine, and cut into smaller, uniformly sized pieces. These carrot pieces were then processed, making them more appealing to consumers. It was an innovation made by California carrot farmer Mike Yurosek in 1986.
6E7lQ TIL the United States Government was in full support of the movie Independence Day [1996] offering real military uniforms and even jets until the film makers refused to remove Area 51 from the movie. The government withdrew all support.
6EwRJ TIL The aircraft manufacturer Northrop Grumman, who built iconic fighter aircraft such as the F6F Hellcat, A-6 Intruder, and the well known and forever popular F-14 Tomcat, won a contract from the US government to mass produce the Grumman LLV, A.K.A. The USPS Postal Truck.
6E077 TIL that there is one animal that can literally save its ass (for a while) by getting rid of it. An Argentinian scorpion called Ananteris balzanii removes its poisonous tail to hurt his foes, but loses his anus in the process. The result: his life is lengthened a bit but he gets chronic constipation
R7EN1 TIL Enlightenment era philosopher Francis Bacon died from pneumonia he got while stuffing a dead chicken full of snow. He had wanted to test if meat is preserved if frozen.