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TIL: J.R.R Tolkien was rejected for a Nobel Prize, in 1961, on the grounds of his poor storytelling.

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wL6VW TIL of the Windows on the World restaurant, which occupied the 107th floor of the world trade center north tower. More than 60 languages were spoken among the staff and it's kitchen was run by celebrity chefs. In it's final year it was the highest grossing fine dining establishment in the country.
ZeDG TIL death row inmate, Hank Skinner was transported to his execution room, and even finished his “final meal” before news broke of a rare Supreme Court reprieve, just minutes before his scheduled execution. He awaits hearing results.
JY181 Did you wake up today with a craving for clay, or dirt? That’s called pica, an abnormal craving for substances other than typical food. If you went ahead and acted on your impulse, it's probably a good idea to head over to your doctor’s office. Research indicates that in most cases this craving is a result of a mineral or vitamin deficiency. This brings us to this week’s Today I Learned, as National Geographic Society grantee and ornithologist Luke Powell explains why macaws regularly munch on South American rain forest clay. Yummy! All animals (including humans) need salt to live. Animals that live in the Amazon rain forest face a curious predicament due to the way the Andes mountain range affects weather coming from the Pacific Ocean. This geography results in an extreme lack of salt in the Amazon and, consequentially, some unique behaviors and appetites.EDITOR: Laurence AlexanderSERIES PRODUCER: Chris Mattle
mxGZE TIL of the 2020 Chernobyl exclusion wildfires that spread radiation
0weVR TIL spiral staircases in medieval castles were deliberately made clockwise because it diminished the ability of attackers to properly swing their swords, since right-handed fighters would have had to to contend with the walls while making their striking motions.