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TIL In 1970 the Oregon Highway Division attempted to blow up a washed ashore dead sperm whale, using half a ton of dynamite, to dispose of its rotting carcass. The explosion threw whale flesh over 800 feet away, crushing cars and almost killing bystanders.

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6MAX TIL There are at least 131 bikini coffee stands between Seattle and Portland with names like “Java Jugs” and “Peek-A-Brew”
E1Q80 TIL the Black Footed Cat of South Africa is the smallest cat in the world weighing in at around 4lbs, yet is the deadliest cat on earth. This tiny, and by some accounts adorable kitty is capable of traveling 20 miles in a night and has a take down/kill accuracy of around 60%.
E1Naw TIL that in 1665 an outbreak of bubonic plague ravaged London. Those with the financial means to escape to the countryside did just that. Unfortunately for those left behind, the flight from the city included many of its most prominent doctors.
6EAN7 TIL that Canada has a government-sanctioned cartel to control global maple syrup prices and supply, and has been called "the OPEC of the maple syrup world" by The Economist. A barrel of syrup is worth 10-18 times the value of U.S. crude oil.
L779 TIL of Manichaeism. It spanned from the Roman Empire to China. Founded by Mani, who claimed to be a successor of Buddha, Zoroaster, and Jesus. St. Augustine was a Manichee before he apostatised. Today none of its texts has survived and it is now extinct due to a worldwide holocaust of its adherents.