› added 12 years ago

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TIL that babies as early as 18 months cannot be fooled into believing something that causes pain results in pleasure. Adults often try to shield infants from distress by putting on a happy face following a negative experience. But babies know the truth.

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DQg0P TIL the title of the Cream album "Disraeli Gears" came when Eric Clapton mentioned wanting a racing bicycle to a roadie and the roadie said "oh yeah, disraeli gears," meaning to say "derailleur gears"
kOKG4 TIL the only account of Marco Polo's visit to China is his own first person one. There are no Chinese accounts of his trip and some scholars believe he never actually went at all but made it up using accounts from Persian travellers.
9wWJr TIL about Jemima Nicholas, a Welsh woman who thwarted the French invasion of Britain in 1797 by leading a dozen women with pitchforks against the 1400 French troops. She captured 12 troops and locked them in a church, the French surrendered after 3 days
x6nO0 TIL walruses feed by literally sucking live clams right out of their shells. They are able to create a vacuum in their mouths by drawing their tongues back like a piston. Walruses in captivity are able to suck five pound metal plugs out from the bottom of their pools.
wLxm7 TIL that the women who work in the garment recycling industry in India have a theory that because of a water shortage in the West, it must be cheaper to buy new clothes than to wash them. This explains why so many clothes are discarded barely worn. (Link fixed)