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TIL that 60 years ago 20% of East Asian young adults were near-sighted. Today 90% are. Scientists suspect this is due to a decrease in time spent outside during childhood.

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9YeAp TIL Henry Cavendish, noted for his discovery of hydrogen, was a "notoriously shy man". He communicated with his female servants only by notes. By one account, Cavendish had a back staircase added to his house to avoid encountering his housekeeper.
LwaZ TIL that authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis made a pact to write books on two topics. Lewis would take “space travel,” Tolkien “time travel”. Lewis completed his “space travel” trilogy, but Tolkien never finished his “time travel” books. Instead, Tolkien wrote “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
XEVDj TIL in the 1880s, the Harvard Observatory director was frustrated with his staff, and would say "My Scottish maid could do better!" So, he hired his Scottish maid. Williamina Fleming ran a team for decades, classified tens of thousands of stars, & discovered white dwarfs and the Horsehead Nebula.
j6wZp TIL of Annie Besant who was a British woman that was elected as president of the Indian National Congress, in late 1917
NXAjM TIL Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983) was first made as Smokey IS the Bandit, where Jackie Gleason played a dual role of both Sheriff Justice and a new Bandit character, effectively chasing himself. Confusion from test audiences made them reshoot the movie with Jerry Reed as the new Bandit.