Spuds, Stars & Sassy Cats

Well hello there, trivia connoisseur, today’s roundup includes a cosmic beacon that outshines entire galaxies, a potato that sold for more than your car, and medieval cats earning their place in library history (with zero regrets). Strap in—it’s about to get weird, wonderful, and weirdly wonderful.

Quasars: The Loudmouths of the Universe

• Space is mostly quiet… unless a quasar’s in the room.

  Quasars are the brightest objects in the known universe, and they’re powered by supermassive black holes at the center of distant galaxies. As matter spirals into the black hole, it heats up and spews out insane amounts of energy—sometimes outshining every star in the galaxy combined.

  The closest quasar to Earth is about 600 million light years away, which is probably for the best—some of these beasts emit more energy in one second than our sun does in 200 years. Basically, quasars are the loud, flashy drama queens of the cosmos… and we love them for it.

  🔹 Punchline: If the universe had influencers, quasars would be the ones posting glow-up reels from 10 billion light years away.

The Time a Potato Was Mistaken for Priceless Art

• Modern art is weird. Mistaking lunch for a masterpiece? Even weirder.

  In 2015, a photo of a single, unremarkable potato taken by photographer Kevin Abosch sold for over $1 million. It was titled “Potato #345,” because nothing screams high art like a root vegetable catalog.

  Here’s the kicker: the black-background image is literally just a close-up of a potato. No props, no twist. Just spud. The buyer? An unnamed European businessman with, presumably, a surplus of both cash and counter space.

  Abosch claimed the piece reflected themes of “existence” and “the meaning of life.” Personally, I think it reflected a need for snacks and a deadline.

  🔹 Punchline: Somewhere, a potato farmer is weeping into his compost pile.

Medieval Cats Were Employed… as Book Protectors?

• Before bookmarks, there were... cat paws.

  In medieval monasteries, cats were often allowed to roam libraries and scriptoria to keep mice away from precious manuscripts. But that’s not even the best part: some manuscripts have actual cat paw prints across the pages, where a feline decided to take a casual stroll mid-copying session.

  One famous 15th-century manuscript includes a scribe’s actual angry note about a cat peeing on his work. Monks: holy, yes. Patient? Debatable.

  So next time your cat walks across your laptop, remember—it’s got centuries of professional experience.

  🔹 Punchline: Your cat isn’t lazy. It’s just honoring a long literary tradition.

From celestial divas to pricey potatoes and history’s sassiest librarians, today's tales prove one thing: brilliance comes in all forms—and occasionally has whiskers.

Stay curious (and give your cat a raise),

— Max Whitt🎩🌌🥔🐾

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