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TIL: Beethoven was paid 4,000 florins a year from 1809 on the condition that he remained in Vienna for the rest of his life. This allowance was originally paid by three patrons but after the death of Princes Lobkowitz and Kinsky, Archduke Rudolph paid the amount in full until Beethoven died.

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grX8X TIL that the probability finding function of the normal distribution ( Φ(x)) can be approximated to 2^(-22^(141^(x/10))) (Φ(x) is the integral of the standard normal distribution which has a really big fat formula)
WDgd TIL the warning tones played before an Emergency Alert Broadcast contain information and automatically activate the system by audio alone. Playback of the recorded tones (like in an an ad) over TV or radio can kick the actual system online, resulting in heavy fines.
okdr TIL near the of the song “Countries of the World” from the kid’s show “Amimaniacs”, Yako lists Palestine as a country.
myBR TIL 100 years ago the Battle of Messines began with the detonation of 19 mines under German front lines which killed 10,000 troops in 20 seconds, considered the deadliest non-nuclear, man-made explosion in history.
PJjO TIL All navel oranges originate from a single mutant tree that was planted 200 years ago. All trees that produce navel oranges were grown from cuts of the tree or mutated using grafts from the mutant tree.