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TIL that aluminum was once so valuable that Napoleon III served dinner to his most honored guests on aluminum plates, while the less distinguished were served on gold and silver plates.

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mxvgE TIL when Norway first discovered oil, Iraqi geologist, Farouk Al-Kasim, warned Norway how private companies can take advantage of a country's oil wealth. As a result of his advice Norway had invested its wealth to create a fund of over US$1 Trillion. He knighted in 2012 by the King of Norway.
AYGl TIL the flesh of the Sleeper Shark, which feeds on colossal squid, contains such a high concentration of anti-freeze that it must rot for months before consumption as the popular icelandic dish Hákarl.
4XQZ5 TIL that when John DeLorean was busted buying cocaine, undercover agents thought he had paid by signing over control of his car company. At trial, it came out that he had signed over rights to a worthless holding company instead.
QJAre TIL that Lt. Pham Quang Khiem managed to escape South Vietnam in April 1975 with 53 relatives and friends by stealing a C-130a and flying to Singapore. They were later flown to Guam and then the US, where Pham became a pilot for US Airways. The C-130a is currently at the National Warplane Museum.
QJm1e TIL of Magawa, an African giant pouched rat who helped clear landmines left over from the Cambodian civil war from over 225,000 square metres of land. He was capable of sniffing out the TNT in explosives, and could work much faster than humans since he was too light to detonate the mines.