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TIL American Airlines went against manufacturer recommendations and used their own maintenance procedure to save 200 man hours of labor per aircraft. This resulted in one engine of AA Flight 191 separating from the wing on takeoff and the deaths of 273 people.

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gMxN8 TIL that caffeine in coffee beans is thought to serve as a toxic substance protecting the seeds of the plant, a form of plant defense, against herbivores. Its production has evolved independently to caffeine found in cacao and tea.
DQPPV TIL that scientists have discovered a tiny parasitic wasp that turns spiders into zombie bodyguards. This wasp, known as Dicopomorpha echmepterygis, injects its eggs into a spider, which then continues to perform its regular tasks but ultimately sacrifices itself to protect the developing wasps.
v1Z77 TIL famed EC Comics artist John Severin refused to draw any horror stories for moral reasons. When publisher William Gaines suggested he was making excuses and just couldn't draw the style, Severin drew something so horrific that it gave Gaines nightmares.
QJgY9 TIL in 2015, Norma Bauerschmidt, a 90 years old woman was diagnosed with cancer. Instead of starting treatment, she, her son, daughter-in-law, and dog, went on a year long road trip around the US, travelling 13,000 miles around 32 states.
o76W TIL Japan has a serious problem with young men becoming extreme shut-ins called hikikomori who will sometimes go years at a time without leaving their rooms.