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TIL at a 1991 meeting of the American Astronomical Society, Andrew Lyne retracted groundbreaking results that he had recently released, which detected the first planet orbiting another star. He received "thunderous applause" from his peers for his integrity & the courage to admit his error publicly.

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6JWQ TIL Dr. Seuss was confronted by a feminist who claimed there were no strong female roles in his books. He remarked that most of his characters are animals, and if she could identify their sex, he would remember her in his will.
yQ7l TIL Sir Isaac Newton’s self proclaimed greatest achievement was his lifelong celibacy.
Z8Xy4 TIL Wax Worms can eat and break down one of the most common plastics (polyethylene) into organic compounds. Wax worms are common insects which evolved to live in bee hives.
pYBgG TIL that Phil Sokolof, a wealthy businessman who ate fast food daily and suffered a heart attack, launched a $15 million dollar campaign against McDonald's for their "unhealthy menu", forcing the burger chain to switch from cooking in beef tallow to the "healthier" vegetable oil.
4kpNw TIL that sandworms are real, grow several feet long, and even resemble the creatures from Dune (or vice versa)