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TIL that during the Great Leap Forward, when Chinese sparrows were deemed a pest and tried to be exterminated, some of the sparrows found refuge at the Polish Embassy in Beijing. The Embassy refused to scare away the birds and was surrounded by people playing on drums causing the sparrows to die.

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xVKe5 TIL that David Hahn, the "Radioactive Boy Scout" was arrested in 2007 when someone saw him stealing a smoke detector. A search of his apartment found 16 more. Smoke detectors were one of the items he used to get the radioactive material to build the breeder reactor in his mom's shed in 1994.
WmOd TIL When asked if Ireland should be reunified, 67% percent of Irish people (rep.) indicated they would be in favour. When expanded to say that this would include a rise in taxes, the figure drops to 32%.
XEV06 TIL there was a US Marine Sergeant in WWII named Hitler. When asked why he didn't change his name he simply said, "Let the other guy change his".
vPMwr TIL Aretha Williams, was given up as a child and informally adopted by Bailey and Mary Jane Robinson. At 15, Aretha became pregnant by Bailey, her adoptive father, and gave birth to music legend Ray Charles. After divorcing Bailey, Mary Jane helped raise Ray alongside Aretha.
m80y TIL There is a Muppet Christmas Special where Kermit meets the Fraggles, Swedish Chef tries to cook Big Bird, Muppet Babies are the old home movies, Cookie Monster eats all the Christmas cookies, and Jim Henson does the dishes.