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TIL when the platypus was first discovered, European naturalists were so baffled by it’s appearance that it was thought to be an elaborate hoax

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via reddit.com

WkJa4 TIL that after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government was worried Japan would invade Hawaii and seize all the U.S. currency there. As a precaution, the U.S. burned $200 million in cash circulating on the islands, and replaced them with freshly printed bills with “Hawaii” stamped on them.
kOM1g TIL that the organism Mycobacterium Leprae, which causes Leprosy, has never been successfully grown in a lab in non-living media. It can only be cultivated in animal specimens, specifically on armadillo feet. This makes the organism extremely difficult to study and nearly impossible to eradicate.
PY99Z TIL all alcoholic drinks sold in the United States are required to be mildly radioactive. If alcohol is made in a lab it won't have any radioactive signature but alcohol made from plants will always be slightly radioactive due to the background radiation in the air and ground.
QJwd9 TIL An artist recreated 60 pieces of fake art from Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning. Then the art was sold for more than $80 million. 10 lawsuits were filed and a prestigious 165-year-old art gallery was closed once the art was found to be fraudulent.
9Y6jQ TIL Sacha Cohen, best known for his role as Borat, was initially going to play Freddy Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. He was dropped due to Cohen wanting to explore the raunchier side of the band, whereas the band members wanted to protect their legacy.