Today I learned !todayilearned@lemmy.ml

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TIL in 1956, Malta had a referendum on whether or not it wanted to be fully integrated with the United Kingdom. 76% voted 'Yes'. The referendum result was ignored. In 1964 Malta gained independence

TIL in 2013, an Italian mafia "Ndrangheta" made more money than McDonald's and Deutsche Bank combined (€53bn / £44bn)

TIL John Astin, the father of Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee), auditioned for the part of Gandalf, & had previously starred in Peter Jackson's horror comedy 'The Frighteners'

TIL of Supai, Arizona, the only place in the US where mail is still delivered by mules. The community has been referred to as "the most remote community" in the contiguous United States

TIL that following the Roman departure from Britain (410 CE), systematic construction of paved highways in the UK did not resume until the early 18th century

TIL Inuit probably don't have 50 words for "snow"

TIL of COCONUTS-2b, a giant gas planet that takes over 1 million years to orbit around its star

TIL India still officially recognises 5 sub-national monarchies, known as the 'Kings of Dangs'. They receive payment from the government every year during Holi

TIL The first black hole visualization was rendered by hand from punch card computer results in 1979

TIL white asparagus is just green asparagus grown in the dark

TIL that Robin Williams had gained a reputation within stand-up comedy circles for stealing jokes.

TIL Steven Russell escaped from prison by using laxatives to fake AIDS, then called the prison posing as a doctor, asking for prisoners interested in an experimental treatment, and volunteered.

TIL the Microsoft font 'Calibri' was used to expose corruption in Pakistan because documents written in Calibri could not be from an earlier year than 2007, revealing the possibility of forgery.

TIL How scientists shave ants, and also the ant hair has very cool reflective properties.

TIL the pig farming industry uses horse blood farms to extract PMSG - which is then used to force pigs into pregnancy more quickly

TIL that black band around the perimeter of the windshield are called frits and keep it from moving around while the car is in motion

TIL You don't lose more heat from your head than anywhere else on your body. The myth came from a 50's army field manual with some suspect experimental procedures.

TIL of Cáin Adomnáin, "Europes first human rights treaty". Created in 697 CE, were a set of laws - which kings across Ireland & Scotland agreed to follow - guaranteeing safety of non-combatants in war

TIL of the Kingdom of Bailundo, a non-sovereign monarchy located in Angola. Its king was notably deposed in 2021 after being charged of involvement in a murder

TIL The element Einsteinium was first discovered by detonating a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific Ocean, and flying fighter jets with debris-capturing filter paper through the top of the mushroom cloud