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TIL that term "laser" originated as an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation".

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ADE5w TIL William Blount was the first federal officer removed from office for conspiracy to instigate an act of war in order to increase the value of his real estate holdings
8erxL TIL Michael Schumacher won the 1994 F1 Drivers Championship by intentionally crashing into rival Damon Hill, after a mistake. That forced both to retire and ensured that Damon Hill would not overtake him in the points standing.
YpKjW TIL Võ Nguyên Giáp, a general in the Vietnam People's Army, had no direct military training & was a history teacher at a French-speaking academy. He would later earn the moniker "Red Napoleon" by some Western sources. He has been called one of the greatest military strategists of the 20th century
b9ZAp TIL The 1954 animated adaptation of George Orwell's "Animal Farm" was anonymously funded by the CIA. They also influenced the film's development, including changing to a more optimistic ending, and changing certain characters' ideologies. Their involvement was kept hidden for over 20 years.
jvkQ TIL: Darwin did NOT coin the phrase “Survival of the fittest”; it originated in Spencer’s “The Principles of Biology” (1864–7, 1: 444–5)