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TIL of N-rays, a new form of radiation described by French physicist Prosper-René Blondlot in 1903, sparking the publication of hundreds of scientific articles. Failing to detect them himself, physicist Robert Wood later found them to be illusionary after sabotaging a experiment by Blondlot himself.

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7rPnM TIL the phrase 'Knock on Wood' derives from the pagan belief that malevolent spirits inhabited wood, and that if you expressed a hope for the future you should touch, or knock on, wood to prevent the spirits from hearing and presumably preventing your hopes from coming true.
neaZG TIL that retired astronaut, Heidemarie Martha Stefanyshyn-Piper, accidentally lost a bag of tools during a spacewalk in 2008. The tools, valued at $100,000, were lost when she accidentally pushed aside the bag they were in and it floated away.
a8Vd9 TIL about the Baltic Way: the longest human chain in history. It connected three capitals and represented unity and freedom.
QNxY6 TIL In the early 17th century, people began to believe plaits were an external symptom of an internal illness. A growing plait was supposed to take the illness "out" of the body, and therefore it was rarely cut off; in addition, the belief that a cut-off plait could avenge itself
BrVok TIL Laurence Fishburne was only fourteen years old when shooting of Apocalypse Now began in March 1976, as he had lied about his age in order to get cast in his role. The film took so long to finish that Fishburne was seventeen (as his character) by the time of the release.