/f/todayilearned
TIL Eating every course seperately is Service à la russe. Before this meals were service à la française where all courses were served at once. Ambassador Alexander Kurakin introduced Service à la russe to France in 1810 and it became the norm by the 1880s.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_110deg1
Today I learned Tabula rasa (blank slate) is the theory that individuals are born without built-in mental content and therefore all knowledge comes from experience or perception, which is in direct contrast to Innatism which is the idea that the mind is born with ideas, knowledge, and beliefs.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by St3v3nMS3 t3_110vmxc
Submitted by Rofl47 t3_10zrpvq
TIL the Pacific island nation of Nauru has been so damaged by phosphate mining that in 1964 Australia offered to repopulate the entire nation to Curtis Island near the Australian Coast. Nauru refused the offer in order to maintain their sovereignty and not become part of Australia.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by triviafrenzy t3_10z80ds
TIL about the old Chinese custom of 'footbinding' (also known as lotus feet), and that it was seen as a mark of feminine beauty and a status symbol, raising marriage prospects. Feet were broken and bound together, ensuing in many deformities, infections, and disabilities.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by akisomething t3_111602v