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TIL that earwax plugs from whales can be used to determine their age, much like tree rings. In 2013 a study examined a foot-long earwax plug from a blue whale to also determine when it was exposed to certain chemicals in the environment.

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via reddit.com

vPKpj TIL that the shortest war in history was between Britain and Zanzibar, lasting only 38 minutes on August 27, 1896, after the British attacked and destroyed the Zanzibar royal palace.
nWplW TIL that on 9/11 a 5th airliner was presumed to be hijacked because the pilot changed the squawk code to 7500, which indicated a hijacking. Despite being a mistake, the airliner was diverted to Canada and was escorted there by US F-15s.
a8G9b TIL that in 2012, a crucified Jesus statue in India started dripping water from it's feet. Hundreds of believers flocked to the dripping cross, collecting and consuming the “holy” water. It was later revealed that the source of the water was a clogged toilet from a nearby washroom.
4BWX TIL A WW2 Double Agent mislead Germany about the invasion of Normandy by convincing the UK to create a ghost army equipped with inflatable tanks. He was awarded the Iron Cross by the Nazis, who never realized they were being fooled.
epNZb TIL Daniel Carleton Gajdusek, an American physician and Nobel Prize winner, was charged of child molestation, including that of the children brought home from research trips to live with him.