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TIL 16th century satirist Pietro Aretino made a living by blackmailing public figures who paid him off to avoid his public criticism. He once tried to extort a priceless work out of Michelangelo by telling him that his Last Judgment in the Cistine Chapel was more suited to decorate a brothel

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GKA5 TIL that the UK Government used to employ “official explainers” who would tour parts of the country explaining legislation passed by Parliament.
mxZ9y TIL The pyramids weren't built by slaves, but a complex system of voluntary, privileged laborers.
dD5PB TIL France's last king, Louis XVI (1754-1793) only saw the sea once in his entire life, despite his main residence, Versailles, being than 100 miles from the coast
m1npE TIL that in Laos, people practice 'whole animal eating' to avoid being wasteful. This means they not only eat all the meat and organs of animals but also their bile/vomit, which is called "ki aun" or "soft poo". Unsurprisingly, it smells like poop. But apparently it tastes like chicken.
61Gl TIL there is a $1 Million coin that is legal Canadian tender. They weigh 100 kg and are 99.999% gold. This is the highest face value ever to appear on any coin ever.