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TIL that in 1959 a pilot ejected from his plane directly into a violent thunder cloud. The storm winds kept him aloft for 40 minutes, pelting him with hailstones and so much rain that at times he had to hold his breath to keep from drowning in mid-air.

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vPNJB TIL the domestic cat (Felis catus) is linked to the extinction of at least 63 vertebrate species (40 birds, 2 reptiles, and 21 mammals).
VBlAG TIL that Patrick Troughton, the second actor to play Doctor Who, considered playing the character as a tough sea captain or pirate in blackface. He eventually chose the character of a "space hobo."
gMNA7 TIL that 'Star Spangled Banner' only became the anthem of the USA in 1931, after the huge outcry caused by Robert Ripley, who denounced in one of his famous "Believe it or Not" cartoons that the country, in fact, had no official anthem up until then.
Z8NG4 TIL A beluga whale named Hvalimir was found in a Norwegian harbor in 2019 with a camera harness attached leading to speculation of it being a Russian spy whale. Russia did not deny claims that it is a possible escapee from their Navy. It now resides peacefully in the harbor seeking human contact.
ANO8g TIL the chair being used for King Charles’ coronation has been used in the crowning of 26 previous monarchs & is believed to be the oldest piece of furniture in the UK still used for its original purpose