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TIL the founder of Reuters News Agency, Paul Rauter, signed a 1872 contract with the Shah of Iran where Paul gained private control over Iran's roads, telegraphs, mills, factories, and other public works. Lord Curzon claimed it was the most control a person has ever gained over a country's resources

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69QgW TIL : In 1986 a Russian commercial pilot made a bet with the first officer that he could land blind with curtains over the cockpit windows. He lost the bet, crashing and killing 70 people.
6Edom TIL it is illegal to own just one guinea pig in Switzerland. These animals need social interaction and can die of loneliness so an animal rights bill in 2008 required owners to have more than one. There are also rent-a-guinea-pig services for those who want to rent a friend for their pet.
mxWjy TIL that from around 1857 to 1889, a man known only as the Leatherman repeatedly walked a 365-mile loop around the northeastern US. He wore a handmade leather coat, scarf and hat and although he frequently stopped in towns along his route, he never told anyone his name. His identity remains unknown.
jN6jQ TIL when elephants are facing higher threat of poaching, they change their behavior--spending less time sleeping at night and foraging and travelling under cover of darkness.
7rmv7 TIL that from elephants to mice, all mammals take approximately 21 seconds to urinate