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TIL of the University of Sydney Pirates. In 1957, a group of 10 students dressed as pirates and boarded the U.S.S. Bennington. They then snuck to the bridge where they proclaimed, over the PA system of the ship, that "The U.S.S. Bennington has been captured by Sydney University pirates!"

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v1B04 TIL about a 3,100-mile ultramarathon that takes place around a single Queens NYC block. Runners have 52 days to run the route 5,649 times during which many experience out-of-body hallucinations. Only 43 people have ever finished.
grxM8 TIL Many leaders of the Chinese movement to overthrow the Qing Dynasty were educated in Japan and received Japanese support. Miyazaki Toten introduced Sun Yat-sen to Japanese politicians who wanted China to become a strong nation and helped establish the Tongmenghui which led to Republic of China
LkDYr TIL that in the American Civil War, most battles had two names. The North generally named battles after natural features while the South named based on man-made landmarks/towns near battle. The Northern defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run was a Southern victory at the First Battle of Manassas.
OojAe TIL that Baylisascaris or "Raccoon Roundworm" can infected humans and other mammals through ingestion of Raccoon feces. The larvae migrate to the brains and eyes and cause damage making the organism easier prey for the raccoon.
R551l TIL The film Dr. No features a replica of the painting 'Portrait of the Duke of Wellington' by Goya in the villian's lair because the original had been stolen the year earlier. The replica was used for film promotion and like the original it was later stolen.