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TIL that the first novel featuring time travel was written in 1733. It is set 1997 and tells of a future where the world becomes dominated by the Jesuits. Because it was written before the industrial revolution, there is no depicted technological advancement between the author's time and the future

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1aE58 TIL that in 2017, church leaders in Papua New Guinea were concerned by a report that the Governor-General had been requested to sign 666 writs for an upcoming election. They were reassured by the Electoral Commissioner that the number merely reflected 6 copies of each writ for 111 electorates
wL4LP TIL "Puce" is French for "flea" and represents the dark reddish stain left when a blood-gorged flea is crushed against linen. It was a favorite color of Marie Antoinette.
41Yb TIL A 7300 kg sperm whale was exploded using half a ton of dynamite with chunks of flesh flying up to 240m away. By coincidence, a brand new Oldsmobile, purchased during a “Get a Whale of a Deal” promotion, was flattened by a chunk of falling blubber after the blast.
nXpP TIL when the King of France tried to escape in disguise during the French Revolution, he was recognized and stopped by a postmaster who noticed the resemblance to the king’s likeness on paper money
p8m7Q TIL Caterpillars almost completely digest themselves into a protein rich soup inside their chrysalis and then form their adult body around 'imaginal discs', highly specialized cells that rapidly form into adult parts.