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TIL When AA neurosurgeon Ben Carson was a child, his mother required him to read two library books a week and give her written reports, even though she was barely literate. She would then pretend to carefully review and approve them. This inspired his eventual love of reading and learning.

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PYRmV TIL of the Panjandrum, a weapon consisting of large wheels propelled by rockets and holding explosives. During final testing the rockets broke free in all directions, the wheels began chasing military observers, and admirals/generals were forced to dive into barbed wire. It was never used in battle.
LQk0Z TIL that when Willie Fulgear found 52 stolen Oscars right before the 2000 Oscars ceremony, he was rewarded with $50,000 and a seat at the award show. But soon after, the police targeted and harassed him, and the money he won was stolen as well.
p85ab TIL Young Francis Billington got ahold of his father's musket and shot it off inside, showering sparks around an open barrel of gunpowder and nearly blowing up the ship. The ships name? Mayflower
OGZda TIL Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) is considered by many to be the first computer programmer and her method describing an algorithm to compute Bernoulli numbers has been called the world's first computer program
LQjQZ TIL that three Leicester City players including the son of its former manager created a scandal that involved taping an orgy in Bangkok with local prostitutes before the seasons' start. The replacement manager then went on to win the Premier League as extreme underdogs at 5000/1 odds.