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TIL that on April 1, 1974, a prankster named Oliver “Porky” Bickar set fire to hundreds of old tires in the crater of Alaska's Mount Edgecumbe. Black smoke billowing from the crater convinced nearby Sitka residents that the volcano had erupted, until the prankster wrote “April Fool” on the volcano.

Read more theguardian.com

via reddit.com

jNgnn TIL of the Battle of the Bullfrogs- in a 1754 CT town citizens rushed out of their homes armed against the sound of warring bullfrogs, leading to mass hysteria. The townspeople were ridiculed, and in response adopted the bullfrog as a symbol of pride.
QRme TIL the last words on the moon were “..we leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return: with peace and hope for all mankind.”
1a917 TIL that paper books still outsells e-books by a huge margin, even among young people.
rjZM TIL Thioacetone. A chemical so stinky that a small amount (test tube amount) causes nausea a half mile away. A smell so bad it was described as “Fearful”
GYBA4 TIL of Jerrie Cobb, who started flying at age 12 and later set world records for distance flight, speed, and altitude. She played semiprofessional softball to help finance her aviation, ranked in the top 2% of all astronaut candidates, and pioneered humanitarian flights earning a Nobel nomination.