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TIL that Martin Luther was an assiduous anti-Semite and that According to the prevailing opinion among historians, his anti-Jewish rhetoric contributed significantly to the development of antisemitism in Germany

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WkBjA TIL Pope Gregory IX's association of cats with witchcraft led to the wholesale slaughter of the critters, and some scholars believe believe that by the 1300’s, Europe’s cat numbers were sufficiently depleted to prevent them from killing rats and mice, allowing the bubonic plague to spread.
reZe TIL the sun and moon appear to be the same size in the sky because of an astonishing coincidence: the moon is 400 times smaller but 400 times closer.
KO7Vw TIL that in 2002 Joe Strummer (former frontman for The Clash) was vacationing in L.A. and found out Johnny Cash was in town recording. He came every day, and extended his vacation another week, to watch him play. They recorded Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" together, with Tom Morello on guitar.
XeDX TIL that pasta, as it is known today, was introduced by Arabs from Libya, during their conquest of Sicily in the late 7th century, thus predating Marco Polo’s travels to China by about six centuries.
gWDX TIL that as much as 10% of people that are of Northern European decent are immune to HIV.