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97

TIL that Frederick Douglass's master didn't want his slaves being taught to read, believing that it would foster a desire for freedom. Douglass learned to read anyway, escaped, and became the foremost abolitionist in the country.

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W7Rb9 TIL that NASA engineers use a “chicken gun” to test the durability of airplane windshields. They fire dead chickens at high speeds to simulate bird strikes during flight. It sounds ridiculous, but it's a crucial safety measure!
kp64 TIL Darren Aronofsky’s debut feature, Pi, was financed entirely from $100 donations from friends and family. In return, he promised to pay each donor back $150 if the film made money, and receive on-screen credit if the film lost money. On a budget of $60,000, the film grossed a total of $3,221,152.
71wx TIL that after scientists discovered that deep-sea dragonfish had chlorophyll in their eyes, the US Pentagon began funding research for inexpensive night-vision eye drops.
wL4P TIL that Eminem gave Elton John a pair of diamond-studded cock rings when the singer wed his boyfriend in 2005.
M7Rw8 TIL that English law when discussing trademark infringement uses the "moron in a hurry" standard. It was famously used in Apple Corp. v. Apple Computer, where it was ruled even a moron in a hurry wouldn't confuse the Beatles' label with Apple Computer.