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TIL when 21 experienced violinists were asked to compare new and old violins in a double-blind test, the least preferred was a Stradivarius.

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v1ngK TIL that Adelicia Acklen saved her fortune because she was friends with a Confederate general and friendly with a Union admiral. The general agreed not to burn her Louisiana cotton and the admiral allowed her to ship it to New Orleans. She sold it to the Rothchilds of London for $960,000.
mxAbO TIL about a disabled British pensioner called Kempton Bunton who stole Goya's Portrait of The Duke of Wellington in 1961, who would return it on condition of a donation made to charity. His case went to trial where he was found not guilty of stealing the painting but guilty of stealing the frame.
MeEd7 TIL some male and female duck reproductive organs have evolved into a biological arms race, with the male duck’s penis being long, corkscrewed and barbed to secure penetration and the female duck’s vagina being cork-screwed in the opposite direction to prevent penetration.
8O1X TIL a Cleveland woman who was arrested for a traffic infraction was ordered to stand on a corner during rush hour for two days holding a sign that read “Only an idiot would drive on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus.”
yQoO8 TIL those responsible for the hack of Target's customers' credit card data entered through the HVAC system's internet connection which was serviceable via the web and connected to the same server as the credit card data.