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TIL an estimated 400 women disguised themselves as men to fight in the US Civil War, including one whose cover was blown when she absentmindedly tried to put her pants on over her head, thinking they were her dress

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XEork TIL of Kaiser, a Brazilian conman who had a 20-year football career without ever playing a single game. He hid his limited ability with fake injuries, connection to influential figures, and other ruses. One time he even started a fight with a fan to be sent off before a game to avoid playing
L8Nr TIL that watermelon became a stereotype for black people because free black slaves grew and ate it, and it became a symbol of their freedom.
pYnm8 TIL Astronomer Rudolf Wolf only counted large sunspots that were clearly visible so observations can be consistent with older telescopes, even though his assistant noted that one can actually detect many more sunspots
Y70Rv TIL hummingbirds, numbering about 340 species, are only found in the wild in North and South America. There are birds that drink nectar in Africa and Asia, and they are also small and colorful like hummingbirds, but they are called sunbirds.
LQABZ TIL In New Zealand, there's a driving school for dogs. They're trained on simulators by handlers to perform actions like starting the car and shifting gears, showing that rescued dogs can learn new skills.