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TIL After his success in the Harry Potter films Rupert Grint bought a 1974 Mr Whippy Bedford van to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming an ice cream man. He drives around local villages giving free ice cream and lollipops to children.

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VMr1m TIL that the ability of mantis shrimp to detect polarised light has inspired cancer-detecting technologies bc light reflects differently from cancerous and healthy tissue
VBYpG TIL the term ‘prequel’ was coined by The Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien, according to his son, Christopher
5a9R TIL the reason behind spiral stairs being clockwise: In medieval times, they were designed this way in castles, so that attackers running up the stairs had their sword-arm near the center column, while the defenders had more room to swing their sword.
8a1gK TIL Pandemic Emergency Bonds pay out as much as 11.5% a year unless 2,500 people die in one particular country with an additional 20 deaths in another, in which case investors lose all of their money.
OGeER TIL the Royal Navy transfers battle awards and honours from ship to ship that bear the same name. So the upcoming frigate "HMS London" which will serve until the late 21st century will carry the battle honours from HMS London, the 40 gun warship from 1630s and the awards from all 15 others since.