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TIL Hungarian chemist George de Hevesy dissolved the gold Nobel Prizes of German physicists Max von Laue (1914) and James Franck (1925) to prevent the Nazis from confiscating them. After the war the gold was re-cast into medals and again presented to Laue and Franck.

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9YKVp TIL: the Defense Production Act of 1950 provides broad powers to the executive branch to mandate certain contacts with the private sector & otherwise control the civilian economy in order to ensure the production & supply of key goods in times of national defense.
8evkX TIL Mr. Potato Head was the first toy to be marketed on television, and it broke new ground with ads that specifically targeted the children who used the toy, rather than the parents who paid for it.
xQ4B TIL The worlds oldest bottle of unopened wine dates from 325 AD and was discovered in a Roman tomb. It’s preservation is attributed to the large amount of liquid olive oil added to the bottle.
DQ4PD TIL Women used to dominate the beer industry but were forced out during the reformation as men spread rumors about them using witchcraft. Many brewed in secret in the woods after laws were passed prohibiting them from brewing. Much of the iconography of witches comes from this period.
b6ML0 TIL Michael Crichton was 6'9" and felt socially isolated as a result.