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TIL the motte and bailey fallacy: a deceptive argument where someone initially presents a controversial claim (the "bailey"), but when challenged, switches to a more easily defensible, seemingly similar claim (the "motte"), then reasserts the original, controversial claim as if proven

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BrLnk TIL in 2003 on the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from Hurricane Isabelle, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer. "No way, Sir!"
dDMaQ TIL of Macadam roads. These roads were convex, raised a few inches, and made of layered crushed rock; they were state-of-the-art for the 19th century. The rise of automobiles led to the dust issues that were solved by binding the roads with tar, leading to the invention of tarmac.
LQwj9 TIL that Nvidia founder Jensen Huang's parents sold nearly everything they owned to send him to what they thought was a prestigious boarding school but which was in fact a reformatory for troubled kids. He taught his 17 year old roommate how to read in exchange for help working out.
7rkeZ TIL to prove that coffee is unhealthy, King Gustav experimented with a twin, one drank enormous amounts of coffee, the other one, tea. Both samples outlived the researchers and King Gustav
m9wR TIL that, since Romans used daylight and darkness to determine time, an hour was 45 minutes in the winter and 75 in the summer