Did You Know?

Ancient Romans used Portuguese urine as mouthwash and to whiten their teeth.

This unusual dental hygiene practice was due to the high ammonia content in urine. Portuguese urine was particularly valued and imported in large quantities because it was believed to be stronger than local varieties. Roman author Catullus even wrote about this practice in his poetry, showing how commonplace it was in Roman society.

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In 1923, jockey Frank Hayes won a race at Belmont Park despite being dead.

Hayes suffered a heart attack mid-race but his body stayed in the saddle while his horse, Sweet Kiss,...

Read more: In 1923, jockey Frank Hayes won a race at Belmont Park despite being dead.

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The first recorded food delivery service was in ancient Rome.

Called 'cena sportula,' this service delivered prepared food in baskets to wealthy Romans' homes. The practice began when...

Read more: The first recorded food delivery service was in ancient Rome.

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The first recorded instance of ransom software was in 1989.

The 'AIDS Trojan' was distributed via floppy disk to AIDS researchers, encrypting their files and demanding payment for...

Read more: The first recorded instance of ransom software was in 1989.