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TIL the Congo Free State was a money grabbing scheme orchestrated by King Leopold II in the 1890s that caused the death of 10 to 15 million Congolese. One policy in place required a hand for every bullet shot, resulting in whole villages being harvested for their hands.

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L0Dd TIL neurologist Oliver Sacks wrote about a man who after a night involving amphetamines, cocaine and PCP awoke with a extremely heightened sense of smell. Sacks revealed years later that it was in fact himself.
p6wA TIL - A botched circumcision removed a young boy’s penis leading to him being brought as a female as part of a study to show that children are not by nature feminine or masculine. He rejected his female reassignment and later committed suicide.
6Ega8 TIL originally built as only a hunting lodge for King Francois I, Chateau de Chambord contains 440 rooms and 365 fireplaces. It is so large that the Loire was rumored to be diverted to make room.
VM8dB TIL the melody for the “alphabet song” was written by Mozart
6pvY TIL that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was initially called “Operation Iraqi Liberation”, but was quickly changed to “Operation Iraqi Freedom” due to the acronym spelling out “OIL”.