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TIL the submachinegun the Australian forces used during WW2 was designed by a 16 year old boy in 1931. During the gun's life, its reliability earned it the nickname "Digger's Darling" by Australian troops. It remained a standard weapon of the Australian Army until 1971.

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MejY7 TIL that a man named George Meegan walked across the Western Hemisphere, a total distance of 19,019 miles. It took him close to seven years to complete his journey.
nN07 TIL Andrew Jackson, in a duel, gave his opponent a free shot. Hit in the chest, he returned fire, killing the man. Later said “if he had shot me through the brain, I should still have killed him.”
eJ96 TIL there is a reason for peeling stripes on a cucumber besides making it look fancy. The skin is slightly bitter and can overwhelm the mellow flesh part. Removing a portion of it reduces the bitterness without taking away all the flavor and nutrients.
RdVQ TIL That in 1983, an Israeli F-15 was able to be landed after a mid-air collision, which destroyed its right wing. After the incident, the F-15’s producers, McDonnell Douglas affirmed that it was impossible for such a landing to happen, but were corrected after receiving the photos of the event.
8e5aK TIL in 1990, Coca-Cola ended its MagiCans promotion due to negative publicity after a number of the special mechanical cans containing prizes such as cash or gift certificates malfunctioned. In one instance, a faulty seal caused an 11-year-old boy to drink a foul-tasting chlorinated liquid.