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TIL Eli Whitney did not make his fortune from the cotton gin, but a later invention, the milling machine. This machine allowed the North to automate many industries and stay adequately supplied during the American Civil War.

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160PX TIL Albert Einstein was passionate about sailing despite not knowing how to swim and refusing to wear a lifejacket.
rZAx TIL the “golden spike” didn’t actually complete the Transcontinental Railroad. Despite the well-known ceremony, the actual completion took place 15 months later in Colorado. Until then, passengers had to cross the Missouri River by boat.
R7Z81 TIL two Japanese Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boats carried out an unsuccessful bombing raid on Hawaii on March 4, 1942. Four bombs from one of the planes exploded near a high school in Honolulu which shattered some of its windows.
Wad9 TIL the Futurama writing staff held three Ph.D.s, seven masters degrees, and cumulatively had more than 50 years at Harvard University.
kDoW TIL that police in northern Italy conducted the most expensive manhunt in Italian history in order to find the murderer of a 13 year old girl.