› added 2 weeks ago

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TIL of Victoria Cilliers - a woman who survived a 4,000 foot fall after she went skydiving and both her parachutes failed. It was later revealed that her husband was responsible for tampering with them and had tried to kill her. Victoria would go on to give key testimony at her husband’s trial.

Read more lbc.co.uk

via reddit.com

69AKW TIL that the phrase "dog days of summer" is millennia old and refers to the star Alpha Canis Majoris (aka Sirius) appearing in the sky in July
W7gZo TIL that "The Birth of a Nation," a 1915 silent film, became the highest grossing film for twenty-five years and revolutionized the film industry with its technical effects and first-time use of a musical score.
DV9r TIL That at least six air traffic controllers who dealt with two of the hijacked airliners on Sept. 11, made a tape recording that same day describing the events, but the tape was destroyed by a supervisor without anyone making a transcript or even listening to it.
ZbKG TIL that 40% of the total number of slaves brought to the Americas went to Brazil, six or seven times that of the United States.
69B5Q TIL: There is a study by several PhDs also backed by 45 previous studies, that found out that height impacts salaries. Every inch above average height nets $789. Possible explanations are that tall people are seen as more leader like and the process of "looking down" makes one more confident.