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TIL the 2006 Ig Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for "The Mosquito" which is a machine used to deter loitering by emitting a high-frequency sound. Some versions are intentionally tuned to be heard primarily by younger people. The sound was also made into a ringtone that couldn't be heard by teachers.

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e0aLJ TIL despite Tobe Hooper being credited as a director for the 1982 film "Poltergeist", Steven Spielberg actually directed most of the movie. He was only credited as a producer due to the contractual clause with Universal Studios forbidding him to direct any film while working on E.T.
78Nap TIL there’s a sea creature called the Skeleton Panda Sea Squirt that looks like a tiny floating panda with a skeleton inside. It was discovered near Japan and officially named Clavelina ossipandae, which means “little bottle of panda bones.”
xV7j5 TIL of William Walker, an American who wanted to add more slave states from Latin America. He invaded Mexico, failed after a year, invaded Nicaragua, surrendered to the US Navy after a year, tried to invade Nicaragua again, was arrested, then tried to invade Honduras and was finally executed.
wolL8 TIL the Picturephone, the first two way video communication device, was debuted in 1964 by Bell Labs. The device was withdrawn from the market in the early 70s as a commercial failure.
8Zpb TIL of Black soup a standard meal for Spartan warriors made from boiled pigs’ legs, blood, salt & vinegar - after tasting it one commentator remarked “Now I know why the Spartans do not fear death”