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TIL during his bachelor's degree, Robert Andrews Millikan was asked to teach elementary physics course although he was studying classics. He accepts the offer, studies a physics book during a summer vacation and after 34 years he wins the Nobel Prize for Physics.

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1aKR8 TIL about Ferret-legging, where contestants shove live ferrets down their pants, and the winner is whoever can stand all the biting and scratching for the longest time. The ferrets must have all their 34 teeth and all their claws. Neither ferret nor contestant can be drugged in any way.
9YPnB TIL Australian school authorities once accidentally gave a standardized history exam asking students to analyze a painting of the Bolshevik Revolution with a giant robot in the background. When apologizing, they promised "new guidelines governing the use of internet-sourced material in exams."
Oo9v6 TIL there are geographic regions called Blue Zones where people live exceptionally long lives. Some things they have in common are that they have mostly vegetarian diets, strong social lives, regular exercise, and drinking wine (moderately)
Y7RnP TIL: The writer of Ben-Hur was a Union General, a Governor, and an Ambassador. He even has a museum in his hometown in Indiana. Lew Wallace seemingly had a crazy and awesome life.
NXLb6 TIL that barnacles have the biggest penis to body ratio of the entire animal kingdom