› added 6 years ago

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TIL Adrien Brody, in order to star as Wladyslaw Szpilman in The Pianist, "withdrew for months, gave up his apartment and his car, broke up with his then-girlfriend, learned how to play Chopin on the piano, and lost 29" pounds, which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor at 29 years old.

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pYxE8 TIL that Whirlpool dryers are scandalous in the UK as some can catch on fire but the company refused to recall them. Instead, owners were advised to watch the dryers to respond quickly if they caught on fire or were offered £99 compensation.
rNGd TIL on October 20, 1944, an above-ground natural gas storage tank began to leak. The gas eventually made its way into the sewers of Cleveland and eventually ignited, blowing manhole covers miles away and shooting flames up through the plumbing of homes. 130 people were killed.
neOEr TIL about Dead Hand, a Russian "fail deadly" system against an enemy's nuclear decapitation strike. If the Russian leadership is wiped out, seismic and other sensors that detect nuclear explosions will allow crews to launch a retaliatory strike.
Bg8jD TIL that Eddie Murphy, Nicholas Cage, David Copperfield, Johnny Depp, Faith Hill & Tim McGraw own private islands in the Bahamas.
8gVG TIL An 11 year old boy, dying from brain cancer, told his mother he wanted her to donate his organs so that he could save the lives of other children. He reportedly told her “I have seen many people doing good deeds and I think they are great. I want to be a great child too.”