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TIL a study where stradivaris and new violins were blind-tested has shown that most people prefer the sound of the newer instruments

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oBj5Y TIL helicopter rotor blades spin at a fairly constant speed and only gain lift by altering the angle of the blades. The centrifugal force is too much to attempt to alter the blade RPM enough to generate lift.
QxDk TIL that in the wake of the Katrina disaster, police from the New Orleans suburb of Gretna blocked desperate evacuees from crossing a bridge over the Mississippi River, turning back hundreds by firing guns in the air over the crowd.
a87B0 TIL that for several years Republican and Democratic states had differing dates for Thanksgiving.
JYMJk TIL the steel man argument (or steelmanning) is the opposite of the straw man argument. The idea is to find the best form of the opponent's argument to test opposing opinions. Steelmanning will make you better at arguing and improve your critical thinking.
6Eprw TIL: The Courthouse Square from “Back to the Future” also appeared in many other iconic films including: “Inherit the Wind,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and “The Music Man.” It also shows up in “Bruce Almighty.”