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TIL that American nuclear physicist Edward Condon was targeted by the House Un-American Activities Committee for being at the forefront of the "revolutionary movement" of quantum mechanics. Condon responded that he believed in scientific advancements and didn't ask if they were made by Communists.

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Jnvm TIL the idea that carrots significantly improve eyesight was a myth created by the RAF to obfuscate the fact that they had advanced radar technology during WWII.
djEQ TIL During WWII, George de Hevesy used aqua regia to dissolve the Nobel Prizes of German physicists Max von Laue and James Franck to prevent them being confiscated. He left the solution in his lab, where it was ignored. After the war, he precipitated the gold out and the medals were recast.
Lkxe0 TIL Sir Frederick Banting, the Nobel-Prize-winning discoverer of insulin, created the first private biological weapon research centre in 1940. Soon afterwards, the US government was also pressed to perform such research by their British allies who feared a German attack with biological weapons.
696dl TIL A fully grown panda is far too formidable a foe for most predators, but some animals can prey on cubs. Potential predators include jackals, snow leopards and yellow-throated martens, all of which are capable of killing and eating panda cubs.
oBjo8 TIL Taylor Wilson built a nuclear reactor at the age of 14. He gets obsessed, his father Kenneth says. Whatever he is involved in, he goes at it non-stop.