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TIL in 1980, a group of men planted a bomb containing 1,200 lbs of dynamite in a Lake Tahoe hotel with the goal of extorting $3 million. During the disarming of it, the bomb went off and destroyed parts of the hotel, causing $18 million in damages.

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R5ya7 TIL about al-Ma’arri, a blind vegetarian pessimist who preached atheism in 10th-century Syria. He controversially argued that life was devoid of meaning, humans shouldn’t reproduce in order to spare future generations from suffering, and criticized all religions as “fables” that exploit the masses
ZpKbR TIL Taylor Swift’s first job was to knock praying mantis pods out of Christmas trees.
npa9 TIL that in oil-rich Azerbaijan people bathe in crude oil believing it improves their health
xmQ7 TIL Bob Marley, against popular belief, didn’t believe in smoking marijuana for recreation. He thought cannabis should be used for religious and medicinal purposes.
xa4o TIL giraffes graze against the wind because acacia trees react by releasing tannins which taste bad and inhibit digestion. This creates a chemical signal that prompts trees downwind to do the same.