› added 9 years ago

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TIL the X Prize Foundation cancelled their $10 million genetic sequencing X Prize when the technology in the industry was beginning to approach the cost and accuracy thresholds for awarding the prize.

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via reddit.com

M7Y0V TIL that during the Siege of Suiyang, General Zhang Xun killed his own concubine as food for the hungry soldiers defending the city to convince them that such extreme sacrifices were worth it.
a8p8Z TIL that Taylor Swift has a millipede named in her honor
lwp1 TIL that a Canadian town is giving away free land. Dalhousie, New Brunswick’s population has dropped by 21% in 15 years, and is giving away parcels valued at up to C$50,000 to “anybody who’s interested — an entrepreneur or business. We’ll give ‘em the property”.
BkDL TIL that Aldous Huxley was George Orwell’s French teacher
epPkn TIL that Mary Lynn Rajskub — who played Chloe O’Brian on 24 — was originally only supposed to do four episodes of the show. “That stretched to six. And then they just kept hiring me.”