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TIL that ergot poisoning, which has effects similar to LSD, is thought to be responsible for both causing the Salem Witch Trials and also influencing a number of Renaissance paintings.

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1XwV TIL that there are more trees on Earth than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy.
7r4bX TIL A Scottish biologist Alexander Fleming took an August vacation from his work in the lab investigating staph. Upon his return on Sept. 3, 1928, the scientist found a strange fungus on a culture he had left in his lab—a fungus that had killed off all surrounding bacteria in the culture.
o7wL TIL Jack Unterweger became an Austrian celebrity after writing plays and stories while in prison for murder. On release he went on TV talk shows about prisoner reform and the recent murders of several prostitutes. As a journalist he interviewed other prostitutes and even police. He was the killer.
oBJQ7 TIL that the creator of Jaws was so regretful of the anti-shark attitudes and hysteria resulting from his work that he later went on to be an outspoken advocate for marine conservation and an activist for the protection of sharks
K9aE TIL in 1943 the Nazis made a propoganda film about the Titanic showing the British as cowards and the Germans as brave. The hero is a German officer who saves third-class passengers and the villan is a British owner of the ship who recklessly crashes the boat while trying to break a speed record.