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TIL about Mapinguari, a monstrous jungle-dwelling spirits from Brazilian folklore that protects the forest and animals. It's described as a former human shaman turned into a hairy humanoid cyclops and has a gaping mouth on its abdomen. Some claim it's a modern-day sighting of a giant ground sloth.

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jNboM TIL an extra on the set of Star Trek IV ad-libbed a line that made it into the final movie. Since she wasn't an actor, she then had to be registered to the Screen Actors Guild since membership was required for anyone with speaking lines in a movie.
QN8X6 TIL the 1959 Epic Movie "Ben-Hur" was such a huge box office hit that it generated another $20 million from merchandising, including books, toys, candy, perfume, neckties, jewelry, gowns, chariot-shaped tricycles, and "Ben-Her" and "Ben-His" bathroom towels.
X0kkP TIL the original Ferris Wheel was designed and constructed by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. as a landmark for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. It was intended to rival the Eiffel Tower, which was the centerpiece of the 1889 Paris Exposition.
6ErrQ TIL that the RMS Carpathia only heard the Titanic's distress call because Carpathia's wireless operator, Harold Cottam, was listening to his telegraph while getting into his pajamas, several minutes after his shift had ended. Had he signed off when he was supposed to, there may have been no rescue.
BvDb TIL Eritrea, not North Korea, scores as the country with the least media freedom in the world