› added 3 years ago

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TIL about Guangxi Massacre occurring between 1966 and 1976 in China. Massive human cannibalism occurred even though no famine existed. Public records indicate that at least 137 people were eaten by others and at least thousands of people participated in the cannibalism.

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aQlA TIL Hit and Run accident solve rates are abysmally low with roughly half of drivers in fatal accidents getting away
ev4J TIL that Robert Oppenheimer, during the detonation of the trinty bomb (the first atom bomb), recalled that besides initial laughs and cries, most scientists were silent. Oppenheimer later recalled thinking of a line from Hindu scripture that read, “Now I become Death, the destroyer of worlds”
PYKgO TIL that the word restaurant comes from the first public dining establishments in Paris. The kitchens sold soups and broths which were advertised as 'restoratives' which is where we get the modern word restaurant from.
M7ONb TIL that the leopard attack scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey involved a real leopard pouncing on a real person. Kubrick, despite being known for recording several takes of every shot, only recorded a couple takes to protect the actor and accepted that he wouldn't like the end result.
ANGxg TIL Robert Wadlow weighed an unremarkable 8.7 lb when he was born, however by the age of 5, he was 5'4" & wearing clothes meant for teenagers. He reached the 6' mark as a 8-year-old & was over 6'6" at 11 years old. He'd eventually reach his record height of 8'11.1" before dying at the age of 22.