› added 4 months ago

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TIL that in the year 1600 a Basque nun fled the convent, took on a new identity as a boy, and spent the following decades living a life of adventure (military service, general violence, betrothals, etc.) in Spain and Spanish America

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rNA94 TIL that average colour of the universe is called 'cosmic latte'. It was found in 2002 by surveying over 200k galaxies by astronomers and they created a polls on NPR and BBC to come up with a name for the colour. Some of the unchosen names were: Big Bang Beige, Skyvory, and Primordial Clam Chowder.
WkB8o TIL President Ulysses S. Grant's wife had control of four slaves during the American Civil War given by her father. After the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, she chose to free them even though the proclamation did not apply to her state of Missouri.
pdON TIL only one man has ever performed the role of Big Bird (Bonus: diagram of how he fits in the suit!)
GYmjg TIL envelopes have hatching on the inside to prevent a third party from being able to read sensitive information contained within.
kOamW TIL when King Louis XVI of France was executed via guillotine, it did not sever his neck. The blade went through the back of his skull and into his jaw.