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TIL Pope Urban VIII read Galileo's work on physics "Dialogues on the Two Chief World Systems" and was angered by it because he felt that Galileo wrote the character Simplicio (a less-intelligent "scholar") as a cariacture of himself

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kJxom TIL The inventor of the blue LED and pioneer of an $80+ billion dollar industry was paid only $170 for his patent
WkvpY TIL one of the chief executives of American Motors had a habit that every time he thought his salary and bonus was too high for a year, he would give the excess back to his company.
Z8k8B TIL: The USSR had a four-part process for subverting other countries, and spent 85% of its time and budget on psychological warfare, as described by a defector. The over 25-year process included phases of demoralization, destabilization, crisis, and normalization.
J1jem TIL: In Michelangelo’s painting The Last Judgment Biagio da Cesena, a priest, is depicted being tortured in hell after complaining about the nudity. He complained to the pope, but he joked that his jurisdiction doesn't extend to hell
R7r0Q TIL Gene Wilder agreed to play Willy Wonka on the condition that when he made his first appearance, he’d be allowed to limp, trip over his cane and bounce back up to great applause. When asked why, he said, “Because from that time on, no one will know if I’m lying or telling the truth.”