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TIL the smallest muscle in your body, found in the middle ear, dampens the sound of your own voice when you speak. Recordings of your voice sound odd because the stapedius muscle isn’t functioning then.

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m1GKv TIL that research on the Harry Potter book series found that it helps reduce readers’ prejudice toward minority groups.
b9Bk9 TIL Bobby Fischer never saw the film bearing his name and strongly complained that it was an invasion of his privacy by using his name without his permission. Fischer never received any compensation from the film, calling it "a monumental swindle".
dDWWd TIL that the mayor of New York City wanted to secede from the Union at the outbreak of the Civil War
GYgWJ Today I learned that the word “magi” (or the singular “magus”) refers to followers of Zoroastrianism, an ancient Persian religion whose modern-day adherents included Freddie Mercury. “Magi” also gave rise to the “magic” and “magician,” as Zoroastrians were known to practice astrology and alchemy.
OMaY TIL the parachutes of mars rovers are being sterilized to prevent life from earth “hitchhikes” to mars, making it impossible to distinguish from possible microbes on mars.