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TIL That the man who blew the whistle on alleged widespread phone hacking perpetrated by Murdoch’s “The News of the World” was found dead in his London home. The Prime Minister had ties to Murdoch, and the Scotland Yard investigated the death.

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nW9Oo TIL of Chief Tuskaloosa, the giant Paramount Chieftain of modern day Alabama, who was killed in combat with the forces of Spanish Conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1540. The modern city of Tuscaloosa, Alabama is named in his honor.
aJaN TIL that a mathematician by the name of Joseph Fourier had a belief that if he wrapped his body in a blanket, it would be beneficial to his health. His death was caused by tripping on a blanket and falling down stairs.
R5Ba1 TIL the HJ Heinz Company was heavily into pickle production in the early 1900’s. So much so that they patented and used a specialized Pickle Tank rail car for shipping pickles.
gMmQL TIL 40 papyri from 150-99 BC found in Egypt form an archive recording 3 generations of a common soldier's family. Personal letters, divorce papers, contracts andwills tell of his emmigration from Crete, his marriages, career and death, as well as the life of his daughter, her 4 siblings and her kids
wAB7 TIL that in 1989, an innocent man named Carlos was served death penalty because the jury confused him for another Carlos who looked just like him, and even had the same height. There was no attempt on the part of the investigators to even investigate the cause.