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TIL The Aral Sea, formerly the fourth largest lake in the world, has been drying up since the 1960's due to poor water management practices, so much so that the eastern basin is now called the Aralkum Desert, full of ghostly relics of rusting ships and decaying docks.

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jWlj TIL 85% of outlet clothing is made with lower-quality fabrics and cheaper construction than its retail counterpart. Companies like Levis, Ralph Lauren and Nordstrom have all been sued for having MSRP on their “Compare At” price tags even though the product never saw the inside of a flagship store.
QNvNe TIL that Samuel Howes Caldwell invented autocorrect in 1959. He did so specifically for Chinese speakers, even though he didn't speak the language, so that they could use Western keyboards.
VBGMk TIL Joseph Goebbels seriously considered becoming a Catholic priest. He was aided in his earlier studies by a scholarship from the Albertus Magnus Society; Mangus was a German Dominican friar and Catholic Saint
LkjWV TIL a pigeon, Gustav, carried the first word of the Normandy invasion back to the British mainland in WW2, as the fleet underwent radio silence at that time. He flew 150 miles in 5 hours 16 minutes. He was awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery. He died after the war by being accidentally stepped on.
K9vJ TIL that Dick Dale’s version of Misirlou, aka Miserlou, (The Pulp Fiction Intro Song) came about when, during a performance, a young fan dared Dick to play it only using one string on his guitar. He subsequently sped it up and created the version we know today.