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Diamonds are artificially inflated in value by DeBeers who have created a false value of diamonds. Do not support DeBeers in this effort. Avoid diamonds.
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Some of the objects mentioned on this list have extremely disturbing origin stories, including the chainsaw. According to MJ Electrical, this tool that’s primarily used today for chopping down trees or slicing through wood was once used in medical surgery.
Originally, chainsaws were hand-cranked devices invented to cut through bone and widen the pelvis during childbirth. Obviously, this practice sounds barbaric today. But back in the late 18th century, people had far less knowledge about medical safety and hygiene. And unfortunately, pain management was not a priority during childbirth.
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Hence the word sabotage.
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Another item with a very unsettling backstory is the treadmill. It’s featured on this list, but here’s the full story. Apparently, it was invented in 1817 by engineer William Cubitt. He was actually inspired by prisoners to create the device, as he thought it might “reform offenders by teaching them habits of industry.”
Sadly, it was used as more of a torture device than workout gear during those times. Prisoners who were sentenced to “hard labor” had to use them as a punishment. In fact, treadmills were considered the “perfect punishment” at the time because using one was absolutely pointless. The only purpose was to tire out a prisoner; they weren’t actually accomplishing anything. And some people were forced to use them for up to 6 hours a day.
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The paintball gun was designed for marking sheep.
Edit: yes they were also used to mark trees as well as livestock.
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Puerto Rico women were used a guinea pigs without their knowledge of any of its possible side effects to test out BCP in its early stages. Something I only recently found out.
We hope that this list doesn’t ruin any essential items for you, pandas. But it is a good reminder that you never know where things come from. Keep upvoting the stories that you find particularly shocking, and let us know in the comments if you’re aware of any other objects with dark origin stories. Then, if you want to check out another list from Bored Panda featuring items with eerie backstories, look no further than right here.
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