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TIL Karey Mullis - the scientist who developed PCR (the technique used to detect viruses like HIV) did not believe HIV existed. He also came up with tbe idea of PCR - which garnered him the nobel prize - by conversing with a glowing alien racoon.

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Br0r TIL upon its discovery by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898, the element polonium was named after Poland (in latin Polonia) to shed light on the countries lack of independence. It may be the first element named to highlight a political controversy.
E1QJo TIL That in the Live Aid Queen performance, at 16:38 you can see a wave going to the back of the stadium from the people clapping. That wave is the speed of sound, caused by the people at the back hearing the music a split second before the people at the front.
neR1d TIL Suleyman the Magnificent had an helmet made to resemble the papal tiara, but with an extra, fourth crown to show he was more powerful than the Pope himself
pNde TIL that in 1997, four years before being arrested for spying for the KGB, Robert Hanssen was caught using a password cracker on a federal computer. When asked about this, he said that he was simply trying to install a color printer, and so he needed the administrator password. They believed him.
VBWA4 TIL about Shizo Kanakuri, a Japanese runner who dropped out of the 1912 Olympic race (he fell asleep during his rest mid-race), but returned 54 years later to officially finish it. Kanakuri joked: “It was a long trip. Along the way, I got married, had six children and 10 grandchildren.”