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TIL Lightning serves an important role in the nitrogen cycle by oxidizing diatomic nitrogen in the air into nitrates which are deposited by rain and can fertilize the growth of plants and other organisms.

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gMeRb TIL that in 1995, a Nick Leeson single handedly bankrupted Britain's oldest merchant bank by losing $1.4 B dollars in bad trades.
9YAAp TIL Pharmacologist and biochemist Gertrude Belle Elion helped develop drugs for treating leukemia, malaria, herpes, and AIDS. She shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in Medicine despite never having completed her PhD.
mxN5R TIL that in 1982, Indian composer-musician Charanjit Singh combined electronic disco and classical ragas. In the process, he created an anachronistically modern sound -- anticipating the Acid House genre almost a decade before its existence.
D14wj TIL Russia's economy has contracted 42.5% since 2013, from a GDP of $2.231T to $1.283T.
Gdx4 TIL Reykjavik’s City Council decided to turn off city lights in order to allow residents to enjoy a fantastic Northern Lights display without artificial light pollution.