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TIL the spiked ball and chain was never an actually used in warfare; it is entirely a fantasy weapon invented by later peoples but attributed to the middle ages

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WbJ4 TIL that an early Chinese surgeon named Hua Tuo used Cannabis mixed with wine as an anaesthetic. As a result the Chinese term for “anesthesia” (mázui 麻醉) literally means “cannabis intoxication”.
OGO5a TIL that the first computer "bug" was an actual moth found trapped in a relay of the Harvard Mark II computer in 1947. This literal bug inspired the term we still use today for software errors.
OoJmg TIL Walt Disney's father, Elias, was born in Canada, but didn’t find out that he wasn’t actually a confirmed citizen of the U.S.A. until much later. It was discovered that Elias Disney was still considered an alien so he went through the process to become a naturalized American citizen in his 70s
QJ7j6 TIL about the “fifth basic taste”, umami. It is described as the deep, meaty, savory flavor found in cooked meats, tomatoes, and mushrooms. The only form of pure, isolated umami is MSG.
nemDW TIL of the 1995 Bojinka plot: a plan to assassinate the pope, bomb 11 US-Asia airliners, and fly a plane into the CIA headquarters. It was foiled after an accidental fire drew suspicion from Filipino police. It was financed by Bin Laden and 9/11 is considered to be a 2nd attempt at a similar attack.