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TIL that Garret Morgan, the son of former slaves with only an elementary school education, invented a belt fastener for sewing machines, the first human hair straightening solution, an early form of the gas mask (used in WWI), and traffic signal technology (which he sold to GE for $40K in 1923).

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neX4Y TIL when a Massachusetts mall let a Qdoba open there, another tenant -- Panera -- sued. Panera had the exclusive right to sell sandwiches and argued that Qdoba's burritos violated that right. The judge disagreed and ruled that a burrito is not a sandwich.
VMdX4 TIL killer whales use a hunting technique known as a "karate chop" against sharks. Using its tail it pushes the shark to the surface on a vortex, then raises its tail high in the air and slams it on the shark’s head. Then it flips the shark over causing tonic immobility, rendering it paralyzed.
yQ1Rw TIL author of “The Crow” sought permission from Robert Smith of The Cure to use one of their existing songs in the upcoming movie. Smith liked the comic so much, he wrote and recorded a new track, “Burn” in 2 days.
9oQD TIL the number one most played song on U.S. radio of the 2000s decade was “How You Remind Me” by Nickelback. It was played on the radio over 1.2 million times.
JYgLj TIL William Walker worked under water below Winchester Cathedral for six hours a day for six years to restore the building's foundation. He worked in total darkness, using his bare hands to feel his way through the cloudy, muddy water.