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TIL the term "silhouette" has a political backstory. King Louis XV's General of Finances, Étienne de Silhouette, had a reputation for being cheap. Shadow portraits became popular during his tenure and got named after him due to being very cheap to make compared to commissioning a painting of oneself

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KOjxa TIL reflector (or reflex) sights have been used in some degree on weapons for just over 100 years
Gobj TIL that New York imprisons more people per capita than Rwanda, where tens of thousands are awaiting trial for their role in the 1994 genocide there
4pJ6 TIL A Jewish lawyer called Hans Litten put rising politician Adolf Hitler in the witness box and cross-examined him for 3 hours. Litten was later arrested when the Nazis came into power and was brutally tortured for 5 years until he committed suicide.
6E4nw TIL bathing was common in the Middle Ages and people understood the importance of being clean.
yQxRV TIL bats were considered birds until the 1700s. Also whales and manatees were thought to be fish.