› added 12 years ago

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TIL that a fourteen year old paper boy collecting money for delivering was given a nickel as payment. When he felt that the nickel was lighter than usual, he dropped it and the nickel opened, revealed a series of numbers. The FBI linked the coin to a Russian spy who was then jailed for 45 years.

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BExe TIL NYPD ex-cop Adrian Schoolcraft secretly recorded corrupt activities for 17 months in 2008, leading to a huge scandal and 4 separate investigations into NYPD. He recorded illegal arrests, superiors giving illegal orders, multiple rape reports getting downgraded to trespassing and more.
nWXro TIL: The Sacred Band of Thebes was an elite force in 4th century BC, consisting of 150 pairs of male lovers. Each pair had an older erastês and a younger erômenos to represent the god Eros and embrace glorious death together. They train with wrestling and dance and were on the front lines.
Z8jvG TIL Michael Jackson wanted to play Jar Jar Binks in 'Star Wars'
W47o TIL: In 1918, the USS Cyclops disappeared along with 306 crew and passengers. No trace has ever been found and it remains the single largest non-combat loss of life in U.S. Naval history.
XEyWk TIL When the British raised taxes on beer in the 17th century, they inadvertently made gin the cheapest alcoholic beverage in the country. The ensuing widespread consumption of gin led to substantial alcoholism problems in Britain, with the death rate overtaking the birth rate during this period