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TIL Using lasers, Stanford scientists transformed hydrocarbon molecules in oil and natural gas into pure diamonds.

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mxyrY TIL Soviet gymnast Elena Mukhina, widely touted as the next great gymnastics star until 1979. Her coach rushed her recovery from an injury and pressured her to perform a dangerous move (the Thomas salto), which caused her to break her neck, leaving her a lifelong quadriplegic. She died at 46 in 2006
YpldB TIL the "B" side of Napoleon XIV's "They're Coming to Take Me Away" is just the same song played in reverse.
WkvgA TIL that one hotel owner's refusal to serve another's daughter fried chicken led to the second man building a rival hotel in right next door. Locals referred to it as the 'Fried Chicken War'
xx0B TIL Churchill kept a bed in the Houses of Parliament and believed that napping was the key to his success in leading the country through the Battle of Britain.
R5MM7 TIL, The oil from a right whale would operate an average American car for 8 years.