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TIL in the 1920s AT&T built a "telephone pole farm" in Chester Township, New Jersey to test different types of trees and protectant methods. It was also a training ground for technicians to practice climbing.

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E1jNV TIL that, before becoming a reknowned chef, Julia Child was a member of the OSS, which was the precursor to today's CIA. She had top secret clearance and led the development of a shark repellent. She wanted to be a field agent, but was precluded from doing so because she was 6' 2" tall.
awyro TIL Frankie Lymon, who wrote and sang "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" at the age of 13, died at the age of 25. He was married three times, became addicted to heroin, got straight, then on the eve of recording what would be his comeback record, died of a heroin overdose.
VBQkQ TIL: The Romans had curse tablets, which were used to ask gods, spirits, or the deceased to curse a person or object. They were placed in graves, pools, wells, temples, or in homes of their target. There are also erotic curses, which were used by both men and women.
4kV5b TIL about the Nyckelharpa, the national musical instrument of Sweden. It is a string instrument with keys which, when depressed, serve as frets to change the pitch of the string. Dating back to c. 1350, it was recently used by composer Natalie Holt for the background score of the series Loki.
GO65 TIL the CNN “Technology Specialist” who speculated that “the hacker known as ‘4Chan’” was “a systems administrator who knew his way around and how to hack things” is now a radio anchor and technology contributor for Fox News.