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TIL that a book claiming that sunscreen, not the sun, is the number one cause of skin cancer, and that AIDS is “one of the greatest hoaxes and deceptions ever perpetrated on the American public” was #1 on the New York Times best-seller list and sold 5 million copies in the U.S.

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4w1w TIL after 11 years in space, the Rosetta probe was intentionally crashed into a comet in order to provide close-up photos on its final descent. Scientists said they wanted it to go out in “true rock'n'roll style.”
0dojM TIL in 2010 the principal of West Sylvan Middle School in Oregon banned hugging after observing that girls were hugging 6 or 7 times between classes, students were arriving late due to excessive hugging, it was being used as a game to provoke arousal in boys, and, at least once, as a form of mockery
m1dKO TIL Interior Secretary James Watts banned the Beach Boys from playing on the National Mall, Watt said "hard rock" music "brought the wrong element" citing drug and alcohol use. Instead, Watt invited longtime Las Vegas star Wayne Newton to provide a more 'patriotic, family-based entertainment.'
L8LP TIL that the writer of Peter Pan (J.M.Barrie) had a brother named David (his mother’s favorite) who died at the age of 12. Barrie’s mother found comfort in the fact that her dead son would remain a boy forever, never to grow up and leave her. This is why the children in his story do not grow old.
N7Vp1 TIL that Carmel, IN has replaced almost all of their traffic lights by roundabouts. This led to an estimated 40% decrease in all accidents and 90% in fatal ones, saving $180,000 because of lower maintenance cost and several thousands of gallons of gas per roundabout per year