› added 8 years ago

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TIL that JFK would not let Sammy Davis play in the White house in 1961 after his interracial marriage Illegal in 31 states at the time. His marriage not only made headlines, it inspired death threats and demonstrations and forced Davis to hire 24-hour armed guards.

DJQr TIL in 1992, 28000 rubber ducks fell off a shipping container in the Pacific and revolutionized our understanding of ocean circulation
9YeAp TIL Henry Cavendish, noted for his discovery of hydrogen, was a "notoriously shy man". He communicated with his female servants only by notes. By one account, Cavendish had a back staircase added to his house to avoid encountering his housekeeper.
OlyX TIL that Jim Henson created ‘The Dark Crystal’ with the idea that it was unhealthy for children never to be afraid, and wanted to return to the fantasy genre’s darker roots as in Hans Christian Andersen’s tales.
9YkMB TIL before it became male-dominated, computer programming was a promising career choice for women, who were considered "naturals" at it. Computer scientist Dr. Grace Hopper said programming was "like planning a dinner. You have to plan ahead and schedule everything so it’s ready when you need it."
d8BrB TIL The Beatles first saw a TV remote control when they visited Elvis Presley in 1965. McCartney remarked, "He was just aiming it at the TV, and the channels were changing and we go 'Whoa! He is indeed the mighty God. He can turn the channels without approaching the television set!'"