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TIL that Francis Crick, co-discoverer of the structure of the DNA molecule and Nobel prize laureate, sent a letter accompanied by a cheque for 10 guineas to Winston Churchill, saying that the money should be used for the establishment of a brothel at the Cambridge University, instead of a chapel.

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oBplW TIL about David Gates, former member of 70’s soft rock band Bread, who studied the cattle ranching business while touring with his band. He married his highschool sweetheart, raised four children with her and is currently retired in his 1,400-acre (570 ha) ranch in Mount Vernon, Washington.
5YONr TIL Nashville, TN isn't referred to as the "Athens of the South" because of its full size replica of the Parthenon, but because it was the first American southern city to establish a public school system in the 1850s
xVx4w TIL that Pixar's Cars lost the 2006 Best Animated Feature Oscar to Happy Feet, which used motion capture technology. Their next film, Ratatouille, has a stamp in the credits saying "100% Genuine Animation! No motion capture or any other performance shortcuts were used in the production of this film"
KYL5B TIL the "crinkle crankle" single-layer brick walls frequently seen throughout England aren't just a wacky artistic design, rather they provide the same structural stability as a two-layer brick wall but without the extra bricks.
LQOXZ TIL In 2002 Lucas Helder planted pipe bombs across the US across five states so that a map with the explosion locations marked would make a giant smiley face