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TIL on July 4th 1852, Frederick Douglass was asked to give a speech about Independence. He got real pissed, saying it was a sham, since slaves had no independence. "This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn."

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p8gGe TIL that most plastic isn’t actually recyclable
Y7G1v TIL that over 50% of all suicides are associated with alcohol/other drug dependences
jN0jR TIL the fastest-advancing solar technology as of 2016 was the Perovskite solar cell. This type of solar cell, made of a hybrid organic-inorganic lead or tin halide-based material, has the potential to achieve higher efficiency and lower cost than any solar cell currently commercially available.
VG8p TIL That right before Christopher Reeve’s surgery to reattach his skull to his spine Robin Williams ran in saying he was a proctologist and going to give him a rectal exam causing him to laugh for the first time since his accident.
grmDD TIL the Ball corporation, famous for their mason jars, became a defense manufacturer in aerospace engineering. Their products have been used on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the James Webb Space Telescope among other projects. They no longer directly produce glass jars.