› added 2 years ago

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TIL that after Pennsylvania State Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer committed suicide before he was sentenced to prison, he was still employed in that position. His widow successfully applied for survivors benefits and received over $1 Million as he died while in office.

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1aZZ7 TIL players of an online video game called Foldit decoded the crystal structure of an AIDS structure using the video game puzzle that had baffled scientists for over 15 years.
yV8Qe TIL 1960s VW Beetles didn't have a pump for windshield washer fluid. Instead, it used air pressure from the spare tire to spray the fluid.
e0XJ6 TIL the date on which Easter falls is based on the moon. It's always on the Sunday after the first full moon of the spring equinox. If the first full moon happens to be on a Sunday, then Easter is celebrated on the following Sunday.
YpeXG TIL In 1821, Thomas Jennings became the first African-American to hold a patent. He invented 'dry scouring', a method for removing dirt and grease from clothing that would lead to today's dry cleaning.
gMVy9 TIL about Basil II. He is said to have captured 15,000 prisoners and fully blinded 99 of every 100 men, leaving one one-eyed man in each cohort to lead the rest back to their ruler. The king of Bulgaria was struck down by the sight of his blinded army and died two days later after suffering a stroke