› added 8 years ago

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TIL: Lucille Ball funded the pilot of Star Trek against the wishes of her board of directors. If not for her, there would be no Star Trek.

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nNRr TIL that research has shown that “Airplane!” is the funniest movie ever made, clocking in at 3 laughs per minute.
awlb9 TIL the operation of the largest fraud in US history was fairly simple. Bernie Madoff deposited all his investors' money into his Chase bank account and paid them off as necessary. At its height his account balance was over $5 billion. The scheme collapsed when he ran out of money.
LQjoP TIL Nematodes (roundworms), are readily dispersed by wind and make up about one per cent of wind-drifted animals.
pO14 TIL of the Wow! signal, a strong narrowband radio signal detected on Aug 15, 1977 that originated from near Chi Sagittarii. Its frequency is very close to the Hydrogen Line, which scientists believe intelligent races might use to send a strong signal. We still do not know its origin.
4k14o TIL about the candle auction - a method of auction where the end of the auction is signaled by the expiration of a candle flame, which was intended to ensure that no one could know exactly when the auction would end and make a last-second bid.