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TIL JFK experienced chronic back pain. He underwent 4 back operations, including a discectomy, an instrumentation and fusion, and 2 minor surgeries that failed to improve his pain.

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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.
LQOvQ TIL the band Yo La Tengo once reenacted the entire "The Chinese Restaurant" episode of "Seinfeld" live. This was part of their 2011 tour where the first half of every show was decided by a wheel of fortune spun by an audience member. Link includes a video of this moment.
jN1ep TIL To ensure sailors’ safe passage to the afterlife, Romans placed coins under ship masts during construction. This practice is still used in modern shipbuilding to ensure good luck.
8eAGZ TIL a Hungarian psychologist wrote a book on how to raise a genius. He proposed his ideas to a teacher. They married and raised three chess grandmasters, two of them became record-breakers and one even became the first female to beat the top ranked male.
wLrEM TIL American forces at Fort Mackinac did not find out about the start of the war of 1812 until the British had fired a cannon at them, news of the war was delivered via regular mail which did not reach the Fort in time