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TIL William Shakespeare invented the name Jessica in The Merchant of Venice

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kO86W TIL An Etruscan Shrew's heart can beat over 1200 times a minute, and it's metabolic rate is so fast it can die within 4-5 hours from starvation if it does not eat. It's also really tiny and cute.
XEWvk TIL in 1487 a 10 year old boy declared himself as the rightful Earl of Warwick in a challenge to King Henry VII's claim to the throne, and not only got through his insurrection unscathed but even became King Henry VII's falconer.
1aNX TIL that Cockroaches are almost extinct in Post-Soviet States, and their disappearance is still a mystery.
epKKE TIL during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, 50 of the plant's 800 workers stayed behind during the evacuation. The workers, including older plan retirees, volunteered to be exposed to high levels of radiation while working to prevent a full meltdown of the facility.
QND7a TIL the CIA during the Vietnam War concluded that North Vietnam's president Ho Chi Minh was so popular as a national hero that he'd probably have gained more votes in South Vietnam than any rival candidate