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TIL A German drug cartel started a price war with Dow Chemical by selling bromine below their cost to produce. Herbert Dow successfully defeated the cartel by buying all their product and reselling it at a profit.

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9YYPQ TIL that in 2014, Assyriology specialist Dr Irving Finkel translated a cuneiform tablet that predates the Bible, which described a flood, much like the story of Noah. However, this story described the ark not as oblong, but round in shape.
QJAeL TIL Abraham Lincoln was self-educated, having received a total of less than 12 months of formal education. Lincoln described his education as “defective” and never attended college. He was an avid reader, however, who maintained a lifelong interest in learning.
6EBbZ TIL about Pont du Gard, built by the Romans in 1st century AD to carry water. It is over 50km long and the whole aqueduct descends in height by only 12.6 m over its entire length. The aqueduct formerly carried an estimated 40,000 m3 of water a day to the fountains, baths and homes of Nîmes, France
wrrM TIL of Louis Slotin, a scientist who died while working on the Manhattan Project. He accidentally dropped a hemisphere of beryllium on a plutonium core; witnesses saw glowing blue light and felt a heat wave. He died nine days later. The plutonium core was later nicknamed the “demon core”.
VMjxZ TIL that the cast of Pawn Stars don't work at the shop. The Gold & Silver Pawn is managed by someone else and filming interrupts business because they have to close down to bring in the cast and pre-screened customers.