› added 5 years ago

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TIL: A chemical previously used in microwave popcorn bags caused “popcorn lung” a cancer mainly affecting workers inhaling diacetyl in microwave popcorn factories.

Read more healthline.com

via reddit.com

xVWyD TIL Lynn Margulis, proponent for the significance of symbiosis in evolution (bacteria merging into other bacteria to form more complex cells), had such trouble getting her ideas recognized that a grant proposal was returned with "Your research is crap. Don't ever bother to apply again."
WkVbY TIL from 1982-1983, three men in Allentown PA competed in a radio contest in which they lived on top of a billboard in tents. Whoever stayed up longest would win a house. Due to economic pressure from the recession, none of the contestants wanted to give up, so the contest lasted almost 9 months.
vPan7 TIL that around 60,000 Australian soldiers and 3,900 New Zealand soldiers fought in the Vietnam war alongside the USA between 1962/64 -1972
Moy0 TIL Rosa Parks sued Outkast in a case that ended up going to the Supreme Court
VKKZ TIL Han Solo was originally supposed to appear in Star Wars: Episode III living among the wookies on Kashyyk.