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TIL in Russia, the name "Plyushkin" is applied to people who collect and amass various useless things. The word comes from fictional character Stepan Plyushkin who orders one of his serfs to find a cake that a visitor brought several years ago, scrape off the mold, and bring it to them.

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OGo1a TIL a painting from ~1510, Ascent of the Blessed, depicts the famous 'light at the end of the tunnel' experienced by some people during near-death experiences.
QJeMd TIL the world's largest known sponge was discovered off the coast of Hawaii. The animal is an unidentified genus of sponge with a bluish-white color and brain-like appearance, around the size of a minivan.
6ErV8 TIL that the Danish astronomer who demonstrated light has a speed, invented a precursor to the Fahrenheit scale, and invented the mercury thermometer... also ran the police force in Copenhagen and fired all the officers because morale was low.
AxAw TIL that aluminum can be recycled over and over again without any loss to quality, and a recycled beer can could be back on the shelf in 60 days.
wbmo TIL there’s an American tick that can cause permanent red meat allergies when it bites someone.