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178

TIL that Billiards directly contributed to the invention of plastic since ivory was too expensive for billiard balls

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Xo5R TIL that the farmers of Hanyuan, China, are forced to pollinate pear trees by hand because all the bees died off.
XZ6E TIL in 1995, Robert Metcalfe predicted that the Internet would collapse in 1996 and that he would “eat his words” if it did not. In 1997, he blended a printed copy of his speech with liquid and drank the mixture.
ADDaa TIL when researchers from the University of Texas instructed people to spend a number of dollars a week either on experiences or on material goods, the first group felt happier afterwards. The reason is that the goods remain the same, so we stop noticing them, but experiences bring more variety.
9BVD TIL Bethesda Softworks was actually offered to make an official open world Game of Thrones game in 2011, but turned it down in order to make Skyrim.
XEG7R TIL The 1st ever jazz recording was offered to Freddie Keppard, but he refused: instead, that honour went to the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, an all-white band, who had a $million hit "Livery Stable Blues", which came from a song Keppard had performed.