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TIL of Charles Dickinson West who was hired by the Empire of Japan in 1882 to teach steam engine mechanics & mechanical engineering at Tokyo University. He assisted in the development of the Imperial Japanese Navy & was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by Emperor Meiji in 1905.

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XElJr TIL that in 2009, author Nevin Martell wrote a book about his quest to get an interview Bill Watterson. He ended up not getting one, but did get interviews with some of his family and friends. A few months after the book, Watterson did his first interview since the conclusion of Calvin and Hobbes.
Y7PWZ TIL the term "Fremen Mirage" coined by Dr Bret Devereaux (referencing the Fremen of the Dune series) debunking the timeless fallacy of how harsh conditions and brutal lifestyles produce people superior to less harsh but more settled societies, with the former inevitably conquering the latter.
Lkjr TIL John Norman, the little-known “white guy on the podium", made a major contribution to the 1968 Olympic black rights statement. He went home to Australia a pariah – his career ended by the AOC. He died in 2006 without any recognition, buried quietly by his lifelong friends: Cook and Carlos.
X0DyQ Til Boxing day in the UK has to do with a tradition of boxing up presents to give to the poor and has nothing to do with boxing the sport
Z850Q TIL that Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert ran for Congress in 1982 and won, but died of cancer before taking his seat. He publicly disclosed his illness during the campaign.