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TIL the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane" was written about a real boxer convicted of murder in a racially-biased prosecution, and the popularity of the song and the funds Dylan raised from performing it at benefits (eventually) resulted in the conviction behind vacated and the charges being dropped.

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VMrB4 TIL The Barlow lens was invented in the 19th century by Peter Barlow and can increase the magnification of any telescope eyepiece used with them, usually 2 or 3 times
4kdgo TIL in 1942, the British government bought ALL the black tea available on the european market, considering it essential for the morale of their troops in North Africa
oB1JA TIL that Stephen Hawking once made a bet of $100 with Gordon Kane that physicists would not discover the Higgs boson. After losing the bet he lamented the discovery, saying it made physics less interesting.
ADwpn TIL of the Congressional Apportionment Amendment. Proposed in 1789 along with 11 other bills (10 of which would become the bill of rights), it remains to this day a pending amendment to the US constitution. If 31 more states ratify it, the size of the House would grow to 6,565 members.
oPeK TIL Marvel once published a comic about “Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Ham” in 1983. He was a “Spider-Pig” named Peter-Porker