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TIL that although now a cult classic, Jim Henson's "Labyrinth" was the biggest failure of his career, costing $25 million to make and only earning $12 million

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XE1Kj TIL Harriet Tubman, in addition to organizing the Underground Railroad, served with the U.S. Army as a scout, spy, nurse and soldier during the Civil War, leading a raid with the African-American 2nd South Carolina regiment that freed over 700 slaves.
rNyQy TIL that in 1860 the original 13th amendment to the Constitution was intended to preserve slavery in the states that already had it. Known as the Corwin Amendment, it was an attempt to forestall secession. It was passed by Congress, but ratification by states was suspended when the Civil War began.
N798P TIL of Clement Vallandigham, the congressman who accidentally shot himself in court while trying to demonstrate that the death of a man was accidental suicide, rather than murder. (He won the case, but also died.)
oB4KE TIL There was a fake Apple store that looked so real, employees thought they were working for Apple.
loZA5 TIL In WW2 the Japanese Navy collected blue "sea fireflies" (bioluminescent crustaceans) allowing sailors to read at night and not be seen