› added 12 years ago

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TIL that early Renaissance artists were electrified when a young Roman fell through a cleft in a hill and rediscovered Nero’s Golden House. Subsequent tourists to the spot include Michelangelo, Raphael, Casanova, and the Marquis de Sade, all of whom left graffiti in the ruins.

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leXB TIL Mike Myers was sued by Universal studios for 3.8 million because he backed out of his “Dieter” contract, saying he didn’t want to cheat moviegoers with a terrible script. Instead of paying he starred in The Cat in the Hat
NX60J TIL about 'The Hum' - a mysterious low-frequency sound heard around the world that only affects small amount of people in certain locations. Despite scientific investigations, its true source remains unknown.
wlZM TIL that in 1974 a US soldier stole a helicopter and flew to the White House in Washington, D.C. As he hovered above the south grounds, the Executive Protective Service shot and injured him, forcing him to land. He only received a one-year prison sentence and $2,400 in fines.
5Vrxk TIL about the "boiling frog", an apologue describing a frog being slowly boiled alive. The story is often used as a metaphor for the inability or unwillingness of people to react to or be aware of sinister threats that arise gradually rather than suddenly.
jXxj TIL a gravitational slingshot (of say a space probe) robs the host planet of a very small amount of orbital velocity. Do it enough times and you’d cause said planet to crash into the Sun.