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TIL one of the earliest calibration standards for length was the length of an Egyptian emperor’s forearm between his elbow and the tip of his middle finger. Bars of this length, called 'cubits', were made and used to construct the pyramids.

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yvPa TIL that antibiotics are usually not effective for sore throats and common colds as they are caused by viruses rather than bacteria. Taking antibiotics for such illnesses is considered more harmful than beneficial.
m1a7E TIL that Windows 95 saved Southwest Airlines. When the CrowdStrike software glitch caused computers around the world to crash in 2024, Southwest was able to continue flying when rival airlines were grounded because it still uses Windows 95, which CrowdStrike didn't affect.
ep9Rb TIL that from 1974 to 1998 the Willis (Sears) Tower in Chicago was the tallest building in the world. It now ranks 26th.
p1WN TIL Switzerland banned nearly all forms of motor-racing after the tragic 1955 Le Mans disaster, where fragments of a crashed car flew in the stands, killing 83 spectators, the most deadly accident in motorsport history. Despite numerous attempts to lift it, the ban is still in place to this day.
j4kp TIL that Mark Haub, a professor at Kansas State University, went on a “convenience store” diet which mainly consisted of Twinkies, Oreos, and Doritos to demonstrate that counting calories is what matters most in weight loss, not the nutritional value in food. He lost 27 pounds in only two months.