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TIL In 1986, two Pakistani brothers created the first IBM PC virus not as an attack, but to protect their medical software

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R7BL7 TIL the reason why the music genre "shoegazing" got its name is that the performers would stand in a detached state with their heads down. It was because the heavy use of effects pedals meant the musicians had to observe the pedals' readouts.
XYME TIL scientists have been able to genetically modify mosquitoes so their sperm can only produce male offspring, decimating test populations in six generations. This inexpensive innovation could prevent the spread of malaria, save millions of lives and won’t have a significant impact on the ecosystem.
V5Ak TIL some types of slime mold can solve simple problems such as the shortest path problem. It also shows signs of memory.
QNbne TIL that the first recorded use of "OMG" was in a 1917 letter to Winston Churchill from Admiral John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher - decades before texting existed.
Yp1eZ TIL Keanu took a $2 million pay cut for The Devil’s Advocate, so the studio would be able to afford to hire Al Pacino as the lead.