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TIL about the Night of the Big Wind, a January 6th 1839 storm that was the most severe to hit Ireland in centuries. Over 20% of houses in Dublin were damaged or destroyed, and was so severe that people believed the world was ending
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Big_Wind
https://redd.it/1gv11uk
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TIL that the founder of audio electronics manufacturer Bose donated most of his shares to his alma mater, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIT is now the company’s majority shareholder.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bose_Corporation
https://redd.it/1gv2yxj
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TIL that in 2001, Warner Bros had to recall every single copy of a then-newly-released "The Powerpuff Girls" DVD because three of the DVD-ROM programs (including its installer) were accidentally infected with the "FunLove" computer virus, which would be spread to any PC that installed the software.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/powerpuff-dvd-spreads-funlove-virus/
https://redd.it/1gv1c7c
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TIL in South Korea, only blind people can get a masseur's license. This law was established in 1912, to help visually impaired people earn a living. It was upheld by their Constitutional Court in 2008.
https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/south-korea-court-says-only-blind-can-be-masseurs-idUSTRE49T1RG/
https://redd.it/1gv3psi
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TIL that Graphene is the thinnest two-dimensional material in existence and is 200 times stronger than steel. It is also the most conductive material on Earth, excelling in both electrical and thermal conductivity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphene
https://redd.it/1gv335k
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TIL the 1987 movie Million Dollar Mystery was promoted with a real contest in which $1 million were hidden in an undisclosed location that the winner would correctly identify. 14-year-old Alesia Lenae Jones won the contest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_Dollar_Mystery?wprov=sfti1
https://redd.it/1gugfk9
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TIL a bear in a state park got into campers’ coolers and used claws & teeth to puncture beer cans; Fish & Wildlife Sgt. Bill Heinck said the bear tried a can of Busch, ignored the rest, then drank about 36 Rainier beers. They caught it a live trap baited with donuts, honey, open cans of Rainier.
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5756809#.Vaj_J_lViig
https://redd.it/1gu25oy
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TIL during the filming of 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, it became a secret running joke between Tom Holland and Michael Keaton that Keaton would often whisper in a deep voice“I’m Batman” in Tom’s ear on set during a few fight scenes.
https://batman-news.com/2017/01/19/michael-keaton-im-batman-spider-man-homecoming/
https://redd.it/1gu3r9y
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TIL Hitler was almost killed by a malfunctioning V-1 bomb after it hit his headquarters where he was planning his defense against the Normandy landings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfsschlucht_II
https://redd.it/1gu7xzb
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TIL Tommy Cooper was a Welsh magician/comedian whose shtick was "a clumsy magician messes up his tricks". He had a massive heart attack, collapsed and died on stage during a live broadcast, in front of 12 million viewers, with studio audience laughing at what they thought was just one of his acts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Cooper#Death
https://redd.it/1gua4s7
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TIL Joseph Smith once ran for president, and would've been the first assassinated unelected candidate if his run was taken seriously
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/joseph-smith-candidate-assassinated/
https://redd.it/1gtaa03
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TIL the US Navy had no idea Cher would be wearing a racy outfit when they agreed to let her film “If I Could Turn Back Time” on the battleship *Missouri*. They didn’t see her now-iconic fishnet bodysuit until filming started. The crew’s crazy reaction is genuine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_I_Could_Turn_Back_Time#Music_video
https://redd.it/1gtqvmx
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TIL: The US developed the chemical compound Cyanogen Chloride for use in WW2 against Japan. It is a highly toxic blood agent that could penetrate gas masks. Truman decided against using it and opted for the atom bomb. It is now listed in the Chemical Weapons Convention and has never been deployed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanogen_chloride
https://redd.it/1gtpoym
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TIL about Frederick Valentich, an Australian pilot who disappeared during a flight in 1978 after reporting an unidentified object following him and saying, 'It's not an aircraft.'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Frederick_Valentich
https://redd.it/1gt9d15
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TIL that after his passing, Fred Rogers’ wife revealed that behind the scenes he had a raunchy sense of humor and one of his favorite and funniest ways to break up monotony during a bland event was to look right at her, lift a butt cheek signaling that he was secretly farting, and give her a smile.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-11-26/mister-rogers-widow-legacy-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood
https://redd.it/1gtduqz
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TIL that the first ATM was developed and built by Luther George Simjian, and installed in 1939 in New York city by the City Bank of New York. Six months later, it was removed due to the lack of customer acceptance
http://scihi.org/inventions-luther-george-simjian/
https://redd.it/1guxbu5
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TIL that in the Tenerife air disaster, the deadliest accident in aviation history, none of the victims had tickets to Tenerife.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenerife_airport_disaster
https://redd.it/1guwthw
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TIL Early in his career actor Zero Mostel was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) for suspected communist sympathies. During his testimony, Mostel refused to name names, made jokes, and challenged the committee's assertions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Mostel#Blacklist_years_and_HUAC_testimony
https://redd.it/1gv8yjg
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TIL while filming Metropolis (1927) they would often end up with more children in the evening than in the morning. Coming from the poorest areas of Berlin, the children would sneak onto set or climb over the fence to experience the warm rooms, games, toys, cocoa, cake, and regular meals
https://monoskop.org/images/8/82/Metropolis_Magazine.pdf
https://redd.it/1guy6qz
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TIL In 1855, a Portuguese writer who didn't speak English wrote a book in English full of unintentional errors. The book ended up being famous, with a version prefaced by Mark Twain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_as_She_Is_Spoke
https://redd.it/1gudxwl
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TIL there were no casualties in the 2022 Cyprus earthquake besides 1,600 chickens that died in a stampede caused by their panic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Cyprus_earthquake
https://redd.it/1gucelv
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TIL that orcas spend their entire lives with their mothers. Only one whale is known to have survived alone: Luna (or Tsux'iit) was young when separated and ended up in Nootka Sound. He was adored by locals for his interactive and playful demeanor, seeking socialization intensely without his pod.
https://www.destinationgoldriver.ca/luna-nootka-sounds-friendly-orca/
https://redd.it/1gu1ivc
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TIL the pilot episode of Star Trek Voyager was one of the most expensive television episodes ever produced, costing $23 million
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caretaker_(Star_Trek:_Voyager)
https://redd.it/1gugpxz
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TIL until the 1980’s, US television stations would sign off at the end of the broadcasting day, and before they cut to static for the rest of the night, they would often play short clips of American landmarks and US military imagery in a patriotic montage accompanied by the star spangled banner.
https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/4320/old-tv-station-sign-offs-national-anthem-star-spangled-banner-america-the-beautiful-color-bars/
https://redd.it/1gu9qg3
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TIL: In Laos, as of last year, meth prices dropped to $0.25, making it cheaper than beer. Laos now joins Myanmar and Thailand as having the cheapest meth in the world.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/7/cheaper-than-beer-laos-meth-prices-plummet-as-myanmar-chaos-fuels-trade
https://redd.it/1gszzkl
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TIL that Norway has a custom of hanging portraits of the king and other members of the royal family in the bathroom
https://workingwithnorwegians.com/the-intriguing-norwegian-custom-hanging-portraits-of-royalty-in-the-bathroom/
https://redd.it/1gtkahl
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TIL that rattlesnakes can form "friendships", and being in the presence of their friend reduces their stress.
https://news.llu.edu/research/stressed-rattlesnakes-discover-calmness-company-of-nearby-friend-researchers-find
https://redd.it/1gthtx6
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TIL Tama-chan, a male bearded seal spotted in 2002 in Tokyo’s Tama River. He was granted honorary residency registration because of his massive publicity and this sparked protests from foreign residents over the fact that such registration was only open to Japanese citizens.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tama-chan
https://redd.it/1gti7es
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TIL the CIA struggled to recruit candidates who had visible tattoos because such markings made agents easier to identify. This rule has been relaxed, but it once limited their ability to hire otherwise qualified applicants.
https://www.tattoorules.com/front-line/cia-tattoo-policy/
https://redd.it/1gtmb88
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TIL that during World War 1, Belgian pilot Willy Coppens came under fire from an enemy observation ballon during an attack run. In response he landed his plane on top of the ballon and turned off his engine. When the ballon descended he slid off and flew away.
https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_Coppens
https://redd.it/1gswnva
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