› added 3 months ago

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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

GAxo7 TIL that the Sedlec Ossuary in the Czech Republic holds the bones of 40,000–70,000 people, and they’ve been turned into art. We’re talking bone chandeliers (with every type of human bone), garlands of skulls, and bell-shaped bone mounds in every corner.
Bg7ZW TIL: In the 16th century, the Osculum Infame was the name of a witch's ritual greeting upon meeting the devil, which involves kissing his butt hole or "other mouth" and usually followed with feasting. In some cases, the role can be reversed where the witch receives the kiss.
XZ7k TIL a species of tiger moths effectively jams bats’ echolocation by producing up to 4,500 clicks per second. This jamming is the most effective prey defense against bats ever documented, reducing their success rate tenfold.
odeR TIL in the 1800s it was common practice for museums to fix sculptures that had broken-off noses by creating & attaching a plaster replica. Today, Copenhagen’s Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek museum removed over 100 plaster noses, to give their sculptures a more pure look, & put them on display as a Nasothek.
xVmrB TIL about Mir Osman Ali Khan, the fifth richest man in the history of mankind - donated 5tons gold to National Defence Funds of India and was using the Jacob Diamond as a paperweight.