› added 6 months ago

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TIL that during the 1908 London Olympics, the United Kingdom ordered every country to dip its flag in honor of King Edward VII. All except the United States did so, with the American flag bearer stating, "This flag dips to no earthly king."

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KO9pa TIL that Pro boxing was banned in Sweden in 1970 after a study found that it involved severe and even life-threatening injuries, had a brutalising effect on the audience and was governed by unsound economic interests.
ZpGYp TIL chemist Sherwood Rowland won the Nobel Prize for discovering that CFCs damage the ozone, which shields Earth from UV radiation. His work led to the Montreal Protocol, a global treaty to phase out CFCs, helping heal the ozone.
Z850Q TIL that Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert ran for Congress in 1982 and won, but died of cancer before taking his seat. He publicly disclosed his illness during the campaign.
GmQG TIL: Chuck Taylor, of Converse All-Star fame, was only a shoe salesman, and was simply paid commission on what he sold, and had an expense account with Converse. That’s it.
DQMXY TIL that fighter pilots sometimes hallucinate from G-forces, seeing things like glowing lights or tunnels that don’t exist.