› added 5 years ago

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TIL about Dennis Dickey, a US Border agent who, as part of a gender reveal party, shot at a box which was packed with explosives. When hit, it emitted a cloud of blue smoke, but also set fire to the surrounding bush, destroying almost 45,000 acres of land. Dickey was ordered to pay $8m restitution.

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QAle TIL When Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong landed first time on the Moon, they honored as a Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin by leaving behind one of his medals…
j67lX TIL Dwarfs and pygmies in ancient Egypt were seen as possessing celestial gifts, they were treated with considerable respect and often held high social positions, including working directly for the king. Many were buried in royal cemeteries.
xVlP0 TIL that the detonation of a suicide vest will often peel the face off the bomber and launch it, intact, away from the blast. This can be very helpful in identifying the bomber.
X06Ok TIL F. Scott Fitzgerald created football's "Two Platoon System," with different offensive and defensive players; before giving Michigan Coach Fritz Crisler the idea in 1945, the same players played both sides of the ball. As a freshman, the 135-pound Fitzgerald didn't make Princeton's team.
44BX TIL in Norse mythology, the dwarves created a magical chain to shackle the wolf Fenrir. It was made of: the sound of a cat’s footfall, the beard of a woman, the roots of a mountain, bear’s sinews, fish’s breath and bird’s spittle. It is said that this creation is the reason why none of these exist.