› added 9 years ago

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TIL Gin and Tonic were originally created by the British East India Company as a way to get soldiers to have quinine to prevent and treat malaria. Quinine (in tonic) was too bitter. In order to get them to drink the tonic officers added the solders’ gin rations with sugar, lime and water.

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oRdLR TIL Prisoners in Birkenau concentration camp during Nazi Germany had better chances of survival (60%) if they worked in the latrines. Nazi officials avoided those areas, reducing the risk of abuse. Workers could also recover food other prisoners' vomit, gain privileged info, and receive bribes.
1egV TIL Prince once played ping-pong against Michael Jackson at an LA studio. Prince asked, “You want me to slam it?” MJ didn’t, dropped his paddle and left with his bodyguard. Prince then started “strutting around like a rooster” and said “Did you see that? He played like Helen Keller.”
VwL4 TIL that a Finnish sniper had over 705 confirmed kills. 505 of which were from his Mosin Nagant rifle, which he used only his iron sights. The rest of the kills were from his submachine gun.
KOeyQ TIL: Early Jews and Christians didn't view Hell as a place of eternal punishment. You either gained eternal life by going to Heaven or you didn't get eternal life at all. Hell was where your soul went to stop existing.
XwGR TIL that gunpowder was discovered by Taoist alchemists who were searching for an elixir of immortality