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TIL in 2001 a Los Angeles man, upset at the poor exit signage on the 110 Freeway, modified an overhead sign under the cover of night. Caltrans investigated it, approved of the workmanship, and left it up for eight years.

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JE74 TIL there is controversy about scientists naming a protein “sonic hedgehog”. A mutation in this protein can cause serious birth defects and many scientists/clinicians dislike the idea of telling parents their child has “a mutation in their sonic hedgehog”
vPBPx TIL when Conan O'Brien reached a settlement with NBC over the Tonight Show drama, he was awarded $45 million, $12 million of which was for his staff who had moved with Conan to Los Angeles from New York when he left Late Night.
AN6pd TIL: The "Simple Sabotage Field Manual" was declassified in 2008 and it contains advice on how spies can sabotage the enemy by just being maliciously incompetent. Advice include praising inefficient coworkers, cry and sob frequently at work, asking inane questions in meetings, and spreading gossip.
MwXa TIL despite several ludicrous rumors saying he had died from a heroin overdose, been hit by a car, and even been replaced with a doppelgänger, Steve from Blue’s Clues left the show simply because he was going bald.
gMnaX TIL the Japanese bullet train system is equipped with a network of sensitive seismometers. On March 11, 2011, one of the seismometers detected an 8.9 magnitude earthquake 12 seconds before it hit and sent a stop signal to 33 trains. As a result, only one bullet train derailed that day.