› added 1 year ago

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TIL about the Paraguayan War in which 90% of males in the country died as well as over half the general population.

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via reddit.com

4kRko TIL Belgium's "Chocolate Hands" refers to their role in the colonization of the Congo. This included flying Congolese people to Brussels to live in a "human zoo" where spectators would throw bananas at them. They quietly ended this practice in 1958.
PgEJ TIL there is a 390 acre tract of of virgin-old growth forest in central Pennsylvania. It features ancient hemlock trees and 20-foot rhododendrons. This area was conserved because of a land dispute between logging companies in the 1900’s. Pic’s in the comments.
9waM TIL Sperm whale oil was still a key component in automatic transmission fluid until 1972!
xVAOb TIL Jean-Claude Van Damme was originally cast as the Predator with the intent that the action star would use his martial arts skills to make the Predator an agile, ninja-like hunter. It was reported that Van Damme constantly complained about the suit being too hot and caused him to pass out.
pYArN TIL the world’s largest ETF, SPY, worth over $500 billion, is tied to the lives of 11 random people born between 1990 and 1993. None of them knew they were involved, but the fund will dissolve 20 years after the last one passes away.