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TIL The State Hermitage Museum in Russia has a team of cats that prowl the museum to protect the artwork against rodents. The cats even carry a passport with a photo.

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6EAaZ TIL that sea silk is an extremely fine, rare, and valuable fabric made from the long silky filaments which are secreted by a gland in the foot of a clam (Pinna nobilis) to anchor itself to the ocean floor. The material has been used since ancient times by Greek, Roman and Chinese cultures.
0walv TIL Queen Elizabeth I's teeth turned black in her old age due to a sugary diet.
JR58 TIL Henry Paget, Cavalry commander at the Battle of Waterloo had his leg blown off by a cannon ball. When it happened he shouted to the Duke of Wellington “By God, sir, I’ve lost my leg!” — to which Wellington replied, “By God, sir, so you have!”
b7l9 TIL a 19th century Japanese sculpture artist created a statue of himself so lifelike it is indistinguishable from its creator, right down to the muscles, pores and tiny hairs on his skin.
GYWaJ TIL that while competing at the 2002 World Junior Championships at the age of 15, Bolt became so nervous from the crowd's expectations that he put his shoes on the wrong feet. Nevertheless, he won the race, becoming the world's youngest junior gold medallist.