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JAr8 TIL That President Ulysses S. Grant gave a homeless loiterer a free ride to the US Naval Academy. This man was Albert Michelson, who then went on to discover the speed of light and win a Nobel Peace Prize.
Kdw TIL that Albert Michelson, celebrated for his work in discovering the speed of light, got a free education at the US naval accademy just because he hung out by the door to the Whitehouse and went (initially uninvited) for daily morning walks with the President (Grant).