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TIL That Pliny the Younger, although primarily known as an author and lawyer in ancient Rome, is perhaps best known for two letters he wrote which intricately detailed the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the subsequent destruction of Pompeii both of which he witnessed.

9Y7GG TIL that acacias, the trees whose leaves are eaten by giraffes, release an airborne chemical called ethylene. Ethylene alerts nearby acacia trees to produce tannin, a toxin that makes the leaves poisonous, and lethal if over-consumed. Giraffes try avoiding this by eating trees downwind from another.
jN4dp TIL the Vikings are currently considered the first creators of democracy: men and women gathered for assemblies called "Things" (þings) where they decided on laws and punishments for crimes
WkMjX TIL that Steve Martin's wedding came as a surprise to his guests. The roughly 75 star-studded attendees (including the likes of Tom Hanks, Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, and Carl Reiner) said that he had invited them to his house just for a "party." To their shock, upon their arrival his wedding began.
XEOv8 TIL that Polynesians may have traveled to the Americas in pre-columbian times. Sweet potatoes originated from the Americas were found in the islands when Cpt. Cook discovered them. The Maori word for sweet potato "kumala" is almost the same as the Quechuan's word "k'umara" for sweet potato.
W7VDL TIL that King Charles III is the first British royal to graduate from university.