› added 5 years ago

73

TIL that capsaicin -- the compound that makes peppers hot -- only affects mammals, who would chew the seeds and destroy them. It doesn't affect birds, who swallow the seeds whole and help disperse them.

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p8m1N TIL the most valuable heist in Canadian history involved 3000 tons of maple syrup worth $18.7 million
4XA7a TIL Albert Hofmann, the discoverer of LSD, could not imagine anyone using the drug recreationally due to its intense and introspective nature.
4BOg TIL Abraham Lincoln died with only $5 in his pocket. Ironic because he ended up on the $5 bill
VMax4 TIL about James Thurber, author of 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' was cartoonist in New Yorker who got injured on one eye in childhood and lost vision from the other eye too. But he started seeing hallucinations and it is believed, they were the source of most of his illustrations.
R7vWQ TIL Stan Laurel, of Laurel & Hardy, would always graciously reply to fan letters and phone calls. His phone number was listed in the telephone directory and fans could dial the number to speak to him directly. Dick Van Dyke called Laurel when starting out and ultimately had him guest on his show.