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TIL Poet Stanislaw Jerzy Lec survived a German concentration camp by killing his guard with a shovel that was given to him to dig his own grave - and then escaping in the guards uniform.

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R5oMl TIL that Hot Wheels treasure hunts have existed since 1995. There are a set number of designs that are made in smaller quantities and with a silver design on the car or printed on the card behind the toy and it's plastic bubble.
9wMXG TIL Warsaw has two large business districts publicly known as Mordor and Isengard. Although not official, names are commonly used by locals and one of them recently got streets named after J.R R. Tolkien and Gandalf.
QnyM TIL the first (likely) artificial sweetener made by mankind poisoned a lot of Romans, due to its lead acetate content.
0dr05 TIL the invention of bicycles played a vital role in the early women's liberation movement. Women were no longer dependent on men for transportation, giving them a new sense of freedom. Bicycles were also a significant reason for the decline of corsets and long skirts in the early 20th century.
DMde TIL Actor Terrence Howard believes 1X1=2 and he currently spends many hours a day constructing models or plastic and wire that he says confirm his belief.