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TIL Sputnik (The first Soviet test flight into space) Landed in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The town now holds a yearly sci-fi festival celebrating the event.

Read more space.com

via reddit.com

lobv5 TIL that Despite its name, no part of Equatorial Guinea's territory lies on the equator— it is in the northern hemisphere, except for the insular Annobón Province, which is about 155 km (96 mi) south of the equator.
NXQQ8 TIL that U.S. President John Kennedy survived 4 assassination attempts before he was killed in Dallas, Tx on 22 November 1963.
0dYv TIL that Fred Phelps, the head of the Westboro Baptist Church quoted an article from The Onion as proof that homosexuals were actively trying to “recruit” others.
OG6Ng TIL Roscoe Conkling was the last person to turn down an appointment to the United States Supreme Court, doing so in 1882. Conklin had been a prominent lawyer and senator, who drafted the 14th Amendment. His reason for turning down the appointment was only, "reasons you would not fail to appreciate."
gBkW TIL in World War 2, Audie Murphy’s best friend was killed by German soldiers who pretended to surrender. Murphy then single-handedly stormed a machine-gun-fortified house while taking heavy fire to attack his friend’s killers. He ended up wounding two, killing six, and taking eleven prisoners.