› added 7 years ago

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TIL the most expensive painting in the world, recently sold at an auction for $450m, was bought in 2005 for just $10k.

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N7oAE TIL in the 60's Capel Celyn, Wales was flooded to provide drinking water to Liverpool forcing the inhabitants to leave. After the flooding the English MPs had a tea party on location which was quickly destroyed by the furious villagers. This launched a Nationalist movement which continues to grow.
O5Ze TIL There are between 5000 and 10,000 privately owned tigers in the USA
loPO5 TIL Jesse James once gave a widow he was staying with $1400 to pay off a debt collector. James then hid and waited for the debt collector to leave, and then robbed the man as he left the widow's home.
Me0M8 TIL that the label "Made in Germany" was invented by the British in the late 1800s to harm German industries, who they considered cheap copycats. Antagonized by this German industry started a huge quality offensive and the label turned into a seal of quality.
E1jYX TIL the first steam turbine was invented in the 1st century by Greek engineer Hero of Alexandria, along with the first wind organ, vending machine, and piston pump. Most of his works were written off as party tricks or display relics for temples.