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TIL that in the 1970s, an unemployed haulage contractor named Arthur Hickey proposed to turn the Titanic into an iceberg using liquid nitrogen in order to raise her to the surface. It was calculated that this would have required half a million tons of liquid nitrogen.

KaX4 TIL the nazis were the first modern government to enact a smoking ban.
6dA8 TIL Young St. Bernard dogs learn how to rescue lost travelers through modeling the behavior of older dogs. They do not receive any special training, and the dogs decide for themselves if they will specialize in staying with the victim or going to seek help.
YPWA TIL In 1818, an Englishman was accused of murder claimed the right to trial by combat. To everyone’s surprise, the law granting him that right was still valid, and he was acquitted when his accuser declined to appear on the “field of honor.” Trial by combat was abolished the next year.
AD6mw TIL that many Chinese soldiers that came into contact with protestors at Tiananmen Square refused to open fire on civilians. One official even refused to obey orders by pretending he didn't receive any messages. There was even infighting between the various units over violence against civilians.
PYL9n TIL rapper Bizzy Bone, who was abducted by his step-father as a child, was reunited with his mother after a neighbor recognized a photo of him shown at the end of the 1983 broadcast of the TV movie ‘Adam’ which was based on the abduction and murder of America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh’s son.