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TIL New York's Woolworth Building was once a household name and the tallest building in the world for 17 years. Even though it is a National Historic Landmark, tourists are not welcome unless they book a tour with the great-granddaughter of the Woolworth Building's architect, Cass Gilbert

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07Oy TIL British empire, “the empire on which the sun never sets”, was the largest empire in history. By 1922 it held sway over about 458 million people, one-fifth of the world’s population at the time. The empire covered more than 13,012,000 sq mi, almost a quarter of the Earth’s total land area.
D1Bnr TIL that fruit ripening with ethylene gas started after a leaky gas main caused plants to grow abnormally. Dimitry Neljubow a Russian scientist was able to identify the chemical in 1901.
J1pJm TIL Historians hoped to create a permanent indoor exhibit at Dallas Love Field to commemorate Johnson being sworn in as President there after JFK assassination. Plans came to a mysterious halt before the 50th anniversary in 2013. It is not fully understood why, the director refuses to discuss it
rR7WM TIL of the Antarctic Snow Cruiser, a 55 foot, 37 ton vehicle used in a 1939 Antarctic expedition. Its smooth tires were ill suited for the deep snow but the crew discovered that traction was increased by driving in reverse. They proceeded to complete a 92 mile trek, completely in reverse.
QJnbe TIL that an ancient underwater temple, originally considered a myth, was discovered in India after a deadly Tsunami parted the sea, revealing it's location.