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TIL NASA spending has a 14:1 return on investment to the economy

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4XB7o TIL of Senator William Proxmire, who was so active in opposing scientific/medical research that his name became a verb. To Proximire means to obstruct scientific research for political gain.
woYgE TIL about Níðhöggr, a dragon who gnaws at the root of the world tree, Yggdrasil. Níðhöggr's name refers to its role as a monster who chewed the corpses of the inhabitants of Náströnd: those guilty of murder, adultery, and oath-breaking.
l9vV TIL slugs evolved from snails, and exposing baby snails to platinum turns them into slugs.
worXW TIL About The Pig War, a confrontation in 1859 between the United States and the United Kingdom over the British–U.S. border in the San Juan Islands, so called because it was triggered by the shooting of a pig.
WkZa8 TIL of the Bat' d'Af', French military units composed of heavily-tattooed criminals and problematic soldiers. Members called the units "the Hell" due to harsh discipine and living conditions. Despite this, they served with distinction in France's colonial wars, Crimea, and WW1.