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1
TIL that in 2019, George R.R. Martin told fans that if he didn't have The Winds of Winter ready in time for the 2020 Worldcon, they had his permission to "imprison me in a small cabin on White Isl... (www.latimes.com)
 
This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/Sebastianlim on 2026-08-05 11:26:43+00:00.

Original Title: TIL that in 2019, George R.R. Martin told fans that if he didn't have The Winds of Winter ready in time for the 2020 Worldcon, they had his permission to "imprison me in a small cabin on White Island, overlooking that lake of sulfuric acid" until the book was done. The book has yet to be released.

1
TIL master forger Han van Meegeren sold fake paintings to the Nazis during WWII. After the war, authorities thought the paintings were genuine and charged him with collaboration. He proved his inn... (en.wikipedia.org)
 
This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/haphazard44 on 2026-08-05 11:19:58+00:00.

Original Title: TIL master forger Han van Meegeren sold fake paintings to the Nazis during WWII. After the war, authorities thought the paintings were genuine and charged him with collaboration. He proved his innocence by painting another forgery during his trial, convincing the court he'd created them all.

1
TIL that despite winning the Battle of Grunwald, the Polish-Lithuanians actually failed to take the Teutonic Order's capital, Marienburg, because they marched too slowly. This gave the Knights eno... (en.wikipedia.org)
 
This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/Archaembald2 on 2026-08-05 11:02:54+00:00.

Original Title: TIL that despite winning the Battle of Grunwald, the Polish-Lithuanians actually failed to take the Teutonic Order's capital, Marienburg, because they marched too slowly. This gave the Knights enough time to prepare their defenses and win the siege, recapturing several occupied castles afterwards.

1
TIL that in 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland for Queen Elizabeth I. Weeks later, after losing his largest ship and much of his supplies, stepping on a nail, and refusing repeated ple... (en.wikipedia.org)
 
This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/Upstairs_Drive_5602 on 2026-08-05 10:09:37+00:00.

Original Title: TIL that in 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland for Queen Elizabeth I. Weeks later, after losing his largest ship and much of his supplies, stepping on a nail, and refusing repeated pleas to leave his small flagship, the Squirrel, he vanished beneath the Atlantic with all hands aboard.

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TIL that residents of Svalbard–a Norwegian archipelago–often keep their car and house doors unlocked, allowing others to escape if a polar bear were to wander down the main street; however, touris... (www.responsibletravel.com)
 
This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/Gullible_Air_204 on 2026-08-05 10:09:15+00:00.

Original Title: TIL that residents of Svalbard–a Norwegian archipelago–often keep their car and house doors unlocked, allowing others to escape if a polar bear were to wander down the main street; however, tourism might ruin this custom

1
TIL Hank Aaron tied Babe Ruth's career homerun total (714) in Cincinnati on April 4th, 1974. But when he failed to break the record the next day in Cincinnati, the Braves made him sit out the next... (www.mlb.com)
 
This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/todayilearned by /u/OmitsWordsByAccident on 2026-08-05 07:36:34+00:00.

Original Title: TIL Hank Aaron tied Babe Ruth's career homerun total (714) in Cincinnati on April 4th, 1974. But when he failed to break the record the next day in Cincinnati, the Braves made him sit out the next game (also in Cincinnati) so he could break the record back home in Atlanta, which he did on April 8th.

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