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TIL That tonic water will glow under a black light due to the presence of quinine in it.

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9MWM TIL that the Great Pyramid of Giza was originally constructed with a covering of polished casing stones that would act like gigantic mirrors and reflect light so powerful that the pyramid would be visible from the moon.
neoZd TIL There is a theory that Grandpa Jo in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is the story's villain. Jo claims to be unable to work, accepts Charlie's money for tobacco, relies on his poor family to feed him. Jo's deception is revealed when Charlie finds a golden ticket, & begins singing and dancing
obLE TIL that, with the German Sixth Army hopelessly surrounded in Stalingrad in 1943, Hitler promoted their commander Friedrich Paulus to field marshal. There was no precedent of a German field marshal surrendering; Hitler had effectively ordered Paulus to commit suicide.
4X7jJ TIL during WW2 Japanese soldiers used bio-luminescent species of Ostracod as a source of light to read maps on the battlefield without giving away their position. When mixed with water, the dried shells of these Ostracods give off a cold blue light.
7rWOL TIL South Korea, in 1980, built a 322 foot tall flag pole overlooking the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing North and South Korea. In response, North Korea built a 525 foot tall flag pole opposite South Korea’s flagpole.