› added 12 years ago

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TIL Monty Python is the reason junk mail is called spam.

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kJole TIL in the 1980s Monty Python got much of its exposure to the US through PBS, because of CBS censoring parts of "The Holy Grail" in a 1977 broadcast. This upset the comedy troupe, prompting them to withdraw the broadcast rights.
OZwe TIL in 1996 ASCAP threatened Girl Scouts of America for singing campfire songs without paying licensing fees.
9Y7O6 TIL European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), native to Europe, were first introduced by Shakespeare enthusiasts in 1890 in Central Park, NY with the release of about 100 birds, and they are now one of the most abundant and destructive birds in North America with a population of roughly 200 million.
8gKX TIL: Scientists bred extremely sexually attractive male mosquitoes whose offspring are unable to breed. So these mosquitoes will hopefully dominate the mosquito gene pool, and in a generation or two, billions of mosquito larvae will be reproductive dead-ends.
698pw TIL The universe has a distinct smell. Astronauts describe it as a mix of hot metal, welding fumes, and seared steak.