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Obscure chess move en passant was added in the fifteenth century specifically to counter the newly introduced rule that allowed pawns to move two squares forward on their first turn.
Obscure chess move en passant was added in the fifteenth century specifically to counter the newly introduced rule that allowed pawns to move two squares…
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Victorian pseudo-scientists hypothesized that intense mystical rage or excessive alcoholism could cause a human body to undergo spontaneous combustion, literally bursting into…
Victorian pseudo-scientists hypothesized that intense mystical rage or excessive alcoholism could cause a human body to undergo spontaneous combustion,…
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Fetal microchimerism is a biological phenomenon where a developing fetus sends its own stem cells through the placenta to actively repair damaged organs in the mother's body.
Fetal microchimerism is a biological phenomenon where a developing fetus sends its own stem cells through the placenta to actively repair damaged organs in…
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Universal Studios constructed the entire Minion language in the Despicable Me franchise out of completely random gibberish words stolen from various global languages, primarily focusing on food.
Universal Studios constructed the entire Minion language in the Despicable Me franchise out of completely random gibberish words stolen from various global…
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British intelligence agencies hid real silk escape maps, compasses, and actual currency inside modified Monopoly boards sent to prisoners of war held in Nazi camps during World War II.
British intelligence agencies hid real silk escape maps, compasses, and actual currency inside modified Monopoly boards sent to prisoners of war held in Nazi…
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European religious leaders completely panicked when forks were first introduced from the Byzantine Empire because they believed the tiny metal prongs were literal tools of the devil.
European religious leaders completely panicked when forks were first introduced from the Byzantine Empire because they believed the tiny metal prongs were…
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Germany officially made its final financial reparations payment for World War One in the incredibly recent year of 2010, nearly a full century after the conflict ended.
Germany officially made its final financial reparations payment for World War One in the incredibly recent year of 2010, nearly a full century after the…
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Capcom released a special controller for Resident Evil 4 that was literally shaped like a blood-splattered chainsaw, complete with a pull-cord that you had to yank to turn the device on.
Capcom released a special controller for Resident Evil 4 that was literally shaped like a blood-splattered chainsaw, complete with a pull-cord that you had to…
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American and South Korean military forces launched an incredibly massive, heavily armed operation in 1976 simply to aggressively chop down a single poplar tree located in the Demilitarized Zone.
American and South Korean military forces launched an incredibly massive, heavily armed operation in 1976 simply to aggressively chop down a single poplar…
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Coins do not actually have a metallic smell, and the distinct metallic odor you notice on your hands after handling change is actually the smell of your own skin breaking down.
Coins do not actually have a metallic smell, and the distinct metallic odor you notice on your hands after handling change is actually the smell of your own…
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Sperm whales naturally produce a waxy, foul-smelling substance in their digestive system called ambergris to protect their intestines from the razor-sharp beaks of giant squid.
Sperm whales naturally produce a waxy, foul-smelling substance in their digestive system called ambergris to protect their intestines from the razor-sharp…
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Male seahorses are the only creatures in the entire animal kingdom that experience pregnancy and physically give birth to offspring.
Male seahorses are the only creatures in the entire animal kingdom that experience pregnancy and physically give birth to offspring. During their elaborate…
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Venezuelan citizens famously resorted to farming and selling World of Warcraft gold in 2017 because the digital fantasy currency was actually worth significantly more than their…
Venezuelan citizens famously resorted to farming and selling World of Warcraft gold in 2017 because the digital fantasy currency was actually worth…
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Car tires are actually black entirely by design, as the natural color of vulcanized rubber is a rather unappealing milky white.
Car tires are actually black entirely by design, as the natural color of vulcanized rubber is a rather unappealing milky white. Early automobiles rolled…
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Medieval architects slapped terrifying demonic gargoyles on the sides of sacred cathedrals under the mystical guise that these horrifying stone monsters would frighten away evil spirits and protect the holy grounds.
Medieval architects slapped terrifying demonic gargoyles on the sides of sacred cathedrals under the mystical guise that these horrifying stone monsters would…
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United States government officials intentionally poisoned industrial alcohol supplies during the 1920s Prohibition era, leading to the brutal deaths of an estimated ten thousand American citizens.
United States government officials intentionally poisoned industrial alcohol supplies during the 1920s Prohibition era, leading to the brutal deaths of an…
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President William Howard Taft allegedly got his massive three-hundred-and-forty-pound frame completely wedged into a White House bathtub and had to be unceremoniously pried out with butter by his humiliated staff.
President William Howard Taft allegedly got his massive three-hundred-and-forty-pound frame completely wedged into a White House bathtub and had to be…
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Drinking hot beverages on a hot day cools you down faster than drinking ice-cold water, a counterintuitive physiological trick that exploits your body's sweat response; the…
Drinking hot beverages on a hot day cools you down faster than drinking ice-cold water, a counterintuitive physiological trick that exploits your body's sweat…
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Chewing ice is officially recognized as a symptom of iron deficiency anemia, a condition known as pagophagia; when your body lacks enough iron to produce adequate hemoglobin,…
Chewing ice is officially recognized as a symptom of iron deficiency anemia, a condition known as pagophagia; when your body lacks enough iron to produce…
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Vatican City possesses its own entirely self-contained, completely functional international railway station, making it the shortest national railway system on the planet.
Vatican City possesses its own entirely self-contained, completely functional international railway station, making it the shortest national railway system on…
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Federal transit authorities strictly require all modern locomotive windshields to be strong enough to withstand a direct impact from a standard cinder block dropped from a highway overpass.
Federal transit authorities strictly require all modern locomotive windshields to be strong enough to withstand a direct impact from a standard cinder block…
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Ancient historians documented that Alexander the Great's body mysteriously failed to decompose for six days after his death, which modern scientists now believe means he was tragically buried alive.
Ancient historians documented that Alexander the Great's body mysteriously failed to decompose for six days after his death, which modern scientists now…
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New York City officially outlawed all non-emergency car honking with a threat of a massive three hundred and fifty dollar fine, a rule that is aggressively and universally…
New York City officially outlawed all non-emergency car honking with a threat of a massive three hundred and fifty dollar fine, a rule that is aggressively…
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Pristine white sand beaches that tourists pay a fortune to visit are largely composed of the digested, pulverized excrement of the colorful parrotfish.
Pristine white sand beaches that tourists pay a fortune to visit are largely composed of the digested, pulverized excrement of the colorful parrotfish. These…
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