› added 2 weeks ago

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TIL that when the Lorraine Hotel (where MLK was killed) was converted to a Museum in 1988, one of its long-term residents refused to leave, claiming that MLK wouldn't've wanted millions of dollars spent on a memorial to him. After being evicted, she began living in front of the museum in protest.

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m1GQp TIL California was mistakenly depicted as an island on maps for nearly 150 years. This error, due to a Spanish friar's mistake in 1603 and spread by Dutch pirates, persisted until 1747 when King Ferdinand VI of Spain had to officially decree "California is not an island" to finally debunk the myth.
ZpvOY TIL that the anti-AIDS drug Ritonavir had to be taken off the market after scientists accidentally synthesized a second, medically useless form of the drug. The new form assimilated all the samples it touched, making them equally useless. A microscopic quantity of it was enough to halt production.
j6ejR TIL that Strom Thurmond only resigned from the US senate 6 months before his death at the age of 100
4l6b TIL that UN weapons inspector and UK government Bio-weapons expert David Kelly was found dead 2 days after testifying in parliament against Iraqi WMD claims. His autopsy was also meant to be sealed for 70 years by judge order.
6990Y TIL The U.S.A delivers mail using "Postal Donkeys" in some hard to reach areas.