It wasn't all bad. One of those wacky alchemists might have gifted us tofu...

The Chinese Daoists that he recruited used "alchemical" methods to make both soy milk and bean curd, perhaps as a medicine for eternal life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_An#Legend_of_immortality

The last two graphs are fantastic!

They show carbon capture is basically nothing, I'm spite of optimistic predictions. They also show that solar electricity generation has exceeded every estimated growth.

Celibacy became mandatory for Latin Church priests only in the eleventh century.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_celibacy_in_the_Catholic_Church

Also, people could become priests after having been married earlier, right?

That sucks comrade. Take care.

A part of the cold war that has been hidden from the public!

I think a tongue dom is something different though...

I mean, I think future generations will judge us harshly.

American tipping culture is so arbitrary though. You tip your taxi driver but not your bus driver. You tip at a coffee shop but not at a fast food shop. Your hairdresser gets a tip but not the people looking after your children.

Of course when you take a town you kill the ruler and most of the nobles. But people with talent would be drafted to do whatever it was they were good at... so translators, people helping with logistics, and so on, right?

Brilliant.

Mongols would also recruit as they rolled over every city and fort, right?

I really hope that Christians end up having their souls weighed against a feather. Just for being so certain about their own particular Johnny come lately view of the afterlife. 😄

"And cancel Christmas!"

I haven't lived in the US for a few decades now, so I might definitely be off for some!

Do you have sources for this intriguing fact? Just looking at cuneiform I wouldn't guess that it would be especially fast to write...

Normally there is some confusion for memes without any context added. Apparently no need in this case! 😄

https://www.britannica.com/story/whats-the-difference-between-a-turtle-and-a-tortoise

All tortoises are in fact turtles

The last time I was in the UK a train left 2 minutes early. I was already on, but found this shocking. I can hardly imagine my white hot rage if I was running for the train and it left early.

My son found the Next Gen that I had on a USB stick in the TV, and is now working his way through.

We do watch one TOS episode a week as my homework for The Greatest Trek.

Anyway, it's awesome having offspring who are into Star Trek too.

I am pretty sure that the Britannica is not an American publication.