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TIL that Mantis Shrimp have a second pair of thoracic appendages that are adapted for powerful close-range combat; their claws can accelerate at a rate comparable to that of a .22 caliber bullet when fired.

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VV4Z TIL the first webcam was created to help people avoid pointless trips to the coffee room at the University of Cambridge. The camera provided a live 128×128 greyscale picture of the state of the coffee pot, which was located in the corridor just outside the so-called Trojan Room.
mxAJo TIL, during Korean War, U.S Navy pilot Royce Williams shot down 4 swept-wing Soviet MiG-15s in a single mission on November 18, 1952, while flying a straight-wing F9F Panther. It is considered a unique feat since the MiGs have better high-altitude performance than the F9F, and was faster by 100 MPH.
epPwk TIL that it was common for politicians to bribe voters with gallons of alcohol in colonial America, George Washington lost his first run for the Virginia legislature when he wouldn't pay alcohol bribes, then won his second run when he did.
oQA7 TIL that Bill Watterson, the author of “Calvin and Hobbes”, believed that adapting the comic to any other medium would compromise its integrity. He believed this so strongly that he turned down personal calls from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas offering to make animated movies.
VBr7B TIL the owner of the WTC argued that the 9-11 attacks were 2 separate occurrences, and so therefore based on the contract terms, he deserved twice the insurance payout - the courts partially agreed and 9 of the 20 insurers had to pay double