› added 10 months ago

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TIL that the anti-AIDS drug Ritonavir had to be taken off the market after scientists accidentally synthesized a second, medically useless form of the drug. The new form assimilated all the samples it touched, making them equally useless. A microscopic quantity of it was enough to halt production.

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v1MyB TIL there is a toxic lake in Butte- MT, which was an old mining site now filled with toxic waters. Scientists have found use of this lake in researching about microbes which thrive in these extreme conditions, helping our fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and diseases like cancer
wxMo TIL that in 2013, a researcher at UW managed the first human to human brain interface through the Internet by wearing a cap and playing a video game. When he wanted to shoot a missile, he thought “fire” and another researcher across campus’s finger moved involuntarily and pressed the fire button.
oR67 TIL The Malaysian government sprayed DDT to rid infested areas of mosquitos. This caused an ecological imbalance that ultimately forced planeloads of cats to be parachuted into the country.
v1OPB TIL that when River Phoenix's agents wouldn't let him see the screenplay for My Own Private Idaho, Keanu Reeves rode his motorcycle from Canada to River's home in Florida to hand deliver it himself.
vWyr TIL on the island of Yap they use giant stone disks as currency. Instead of moving the stones, they trade them by agreeing that a stone has a new owner. In fact, when one stone fell into the ocean, people continued to trade the stone despite it being underwater and inaccessible.