› added 11 years ago

243

TIL that the disease you are avoiding by washing your new clothes before wearing is cancer. Many clothes are treated with formaldehyde during production to prevent wrinkles and mustiness before being sold.

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gM5e8 TIL George Lucas' choice of John Williams as the composer for Star Wars was due to a recommendation from Steven Spielberg, who worked with Williams on the film 'Jaws'
yVB0a TIL that the term boycott is named after the land agent Charles Boycott, against whom the tactic was used by Irish nationalists in opposition to the system of English landlords in Ireland
e0dpk TIL that during the 16th and 17th century the majority of people believed Birds of Paradise lived in the skies and fed only on air and dew.
xV90 TIL that President Harding served bootleg liquor to his guests in the White House during Prohibition, after he voted for it as a senator
neYAP TIL in ancient times some inuit people did not have access to enough wood for their sleds and often used frozen fish wrapped in skins in place of runners. They used blocks of ice to reduce drag.