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TIL the 109-carat Diamond set in the British Royal Crown was mined over 700 years ago and is one of the world’s largest known Diamonds. It was stolen from India by Queen Victoria in their surrender to Britain in the 19th Century and shall be worn by Kate Middleton should Prince William become King.

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MeoJK TIL that the Germans saw the signing of the treaty of Versailles as humiliating defeat. The treaty was signed in the Compiègne Wagon. When the French surrendered to the Germans in 1940, Hitler had the wagon taken out of a museum and placed in the same spot for signing the new armistice.
nevN7 TIL that the US Air Force seriously considered and researched Nuking the Moon as a show of force after Russia launched Sputnik, but scrapped it at the last minute as they felt landing on it would be better received by the public.
DOMv TIL James Earl Jones was a functional mute for 8 years due to a stutter he had developed as a child. He credits his English teacher, Donald Crouch, with helping him end his silence. Crouch believed forced public speaking would help Jones gain confidence and insisted he recite a poem every day.
NpNN TIL Sir Jeffrey Hudson, the Court Dwarf of Charles I, challenged a man who insulted him to a duel on horseback. The man thought it was a joke, and showed up to the duel with a squirt gun, instead of a real pistol. Unfortunately, Hudson was quite serious and shot the man in the head, killing him.
l71x7 TIL there is no recorded case of a gorilla ever killing a human.