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TIL during World War II, young black musicians started calling each other "man" as a sign of respect, in part because they were so tired of being referred to as "boy".

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nWXR9 TIL of the Cycloped, a "train" entered into the Rainhill Trials, a competition between engineers to design the most efficient locomotive. It consisted of a horse on treadmill, could only reach speeds of 5 MPH, and was disqualified after it fell through the platform.
R7Yv4 TIL "Alcohol" is derived from Arabic "Al-kuhl". A Kuhl or Kohl is a powder used as eyeliner.
YbwP TIL Kevin Bacon initially thought he hit a career low with the film “Tremors” even stating that he “broke down and fell to the sidewalk” screaming “I can’t believe I’m doing a movie about underground worms!”
g0XA TIL George Smith (1840-76)(modest family, left school at 14) had a keen interest in Assyriology and was so often seen at the British Museum that he was employed as classifier. He taught himself Sumerian and literary Akkadian and became the one to discover the oldest story we have: Epic of Gilgamesh.
Y7p1v TIL of the Curb-Cut Effect: Design intended to benefit vulnerable groups, like disabled people, often ends up benefiting all of society.