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TIL between August 21-23, 1924, all radios in the United States went quiet for five minutes on the hour, every hour. This was done in order to listen for radio signals or messages from Martians, but none were detected.

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kJkr7 TIL in the early 1970s Boeing proposed an oil carrier aircraft with a 500 ft (150 m) wingspan, powered by 12 engines from the 747 design. A fleet of aircraft would work around the clock to fly crude oil from Prudhoe Bay to the Pacific coast. The Alaska Pipeline was built instead.
LkWkP TIL Xylitol, a sugar alcohol rapidly growing in popularity for it's benefits to human health, is highly toxic to dogs and several other animals. A dose of only a teaspoon can be fatal to even large breed dogs.
lRXA TIL that James Dean was likely bisexual, engaging in relationships with both prominent men and women. When asked about his sexuality, he responded, “No, I am not a homosexual. But I’m also not going to go through life with one hand tied behind my back.”
R5Ny7 TIL of Cottonclads, a class of lightly armed Confederate river ships armored with cotton bales. They used sharpshooters and rams as their main weapons, dropping the gangplanks down to board Union ships. They were used effectively at the Battle of Galveston, capturing the Harriet Lane.
QNv1M Today I learned about “blading”. WWE wrestlers would cut themselves while on the ground to make fake injuries appear real.