› added 4 months ago

22

TIL about pilot Robert Moriarty, who flew his plane under the Eiffel Tower in 1984. When reporters asked why he did it, Moriarty said it was “just for fun”.

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via reddit.com

G0D1 TIL that when one fails the British/Dutch navies’ Submarine Command Course (“The Perisher”), he is not told yet, but his bag is packed for him. When a boat/helicopter is ready the sailor is told of his failure, given a bottle of whisky, and immediately goes. He can never serve in a submarine again.
xVyvk TIL Two touching stars were expected to fully merge in 2022. The resulting explosion ("a Red Nova)" would have been visible to the naked eye. Unfortunately, a small typo in old data threw the prediction off. Fortunately, the science behind the forecast is still sound, so we may soon predict another.
vPMoj TIL that at Jim Henson’s memorial service on July 2 1990, Big Bird, puppeteer Carroll Spinney and Jim Henson‘s friend of 30 years, sang ‘it’s not easy being green’ (Kermit’s song) as a tribute to the late creator of the Muppets.
Q1EL TIL Harrison Ford and Sean Connery filmed their conversation scenes onboard the Zeppelin in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade without pants on, because of the hot set.
X01xE TIL that when the French first arrived in North America they met the Ojibwe Indians who introduced them to other tribes but used nasty names. The Lakota/Dakota people were called "Nadowessiwag," which became Nadouessioux in French, then Sioux in English. It means "little snake."