› added 6 years ago

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TIL that birds not only can see in Ultraviolet, but that their feathers have patterns which can only be seen in UV. This explains why the males and females of certain species may look the same to us, but in reality, are very different in eachother’s eyes.

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R5gPj TIL I learned test pilot Alvin “Tex” Johnston did a barrel roll of a prototype Boeing 707 - unauthorized - in front of a crowd of 250,000 people at the 1955 Sea Fair hydroplane races. He flew the plane upside down, and then did a final barrel roll. He was not fired the next day, but it was close.
9jLQ TIL Julia “Butterfly” Hill, on December 10, 1997, ascended 180 feet (55 m) up the redwood tree Luna to stave off Pacific Lumber Co. loggers who were clear-cutting. Hill lived on two 6-by-6-foot (1.8 by 1.8 m) platforms for 738 days until a resolution was reached with the logging company.
mVmv TIL in WWII, the BBC asked for holiday pictures and snaps of France ostensibly for an “exhibition” when actually, they were going to be used by the Allies to create detailed maps of the Normandy beaches so that they could plan for the Battle of Normandy.
5VJBn TIL that there are 2 dormant volcanoes in Mississippi
VBLo0 TIL that if chess wasn't separated into men's and women's rankings the world's #1 rated female player wouldn't even rank in the top 100 players worldwide.