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TIL: NPR history department compiled a list of 1800s American slang which includes, "Shoddyocracy" = people who got rich selling bad products, "Wake snakes" = get into trouble, "Bottom fact" = undisputed fact, and "Chicagoed" = to be beaten badly.

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BrBax TIL Kary Mullis, Nobel Prize Winner American Biochemist, who invented PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technique, held high belief in 'Astrology' and had an encounter with an extraterrestrial in the form of a fluorescent raccoon. He used to self-test novel psychoactive substances too.
K4Kw TIL Mark Zuckerberg once advised that tech companies should never hire anyone over 30, stating, “Young people are just smarter.”
N7ZP1 TIL the Union Army tried to invade Texas with 5000 men during the Civil War. The defending confederate side was only comprised of 50 Irishmen. The defenders killed or captured over 200 union soldiers, destroyed 2 gunboats and suffered no losses themselves and received Irish styled medals as a reward
9wbGG TIL that Sweyn Forkbeard was the first Viking king to rule England. He massacred, plundered, and burned his way through the countryside, capturing London on Christmas Day 1013. He died just 40 days later. Upon his death the previous king Æthelred the Unready came back and retook his throne.
4Xxj6 TIL Astronomer Thomas Harriot observed the Sun directly through a telescope and left nearly 200 drawings of sunspots from the period 1610–1612. To protect his eyes, he took advantage of mist and fog to dim the Sun's brightness