› added 1 year ago

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TIL that wild fans have been a thing at least since the 1800s when composer Lizst had to keep a dog so he can cut its hair to keep up with the demand for his hair locks

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MeJr0 TIL as part of military training recruits are sprayed with pepper spray and then required to engage in combat. This is to familiarize them with the sensation and allow them to handle a real life situation
KO0dw Today I learned the name "IKEA" is actually an acronym that stands for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. Ingvar Kamprad is the founder's name while Elmytrad is his farm name and Agunnaryd is his hometown.
Ld6P TIL the first telephone operators were boys. However, they quickly earned a reputation for being rude and abusive to callers. Young women were hired soon after as they didn’t swear as much (and were faster).
N7rK8 TIL Canada's nuclear reactors (CANDU) are designed to use decommissioned nuclear weapons as fuel and can be refueled while running at full power. They're considered among the safest and the most cost effective reactors in the world.
b6EEp TIL Aeschylus, the ancient Greek tragedian, was reportedly killed by a tortoise dropped by an eagle that mistook his bald head for a rock, while he was staying outdoors to avoid a prophecy that he would die "by the fall of a house."