› added 5 years ago

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TIL that a 1969 treasure hunt movie (originally called "Caine") changed its name to "Shark!" after a stuntman was tragically killed by a shark during production and the advertising used the stuntman's death as a means to help promote the film.

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E0MV TIL in the early 1930s, Stalin killed about 3.3 million Soviet Ukrainians under a plan to kill peasants in order to seize their land. After starving in mass numbers as a result of Stalin’s orders, Stalin blamed Ukrainians and used this as a pretext for even harsher measures.
ak7Z TIL that pioneer of astrogeology and founder of planetary science, Eugene Shoemaker, was a candidate for an Apollo moon mission but ruled out due to illness. After his death in 1997, he became the first person laid to rest on another celestial body, and the only human buried on the moon.
VMX54 TIL A dog named Jim was praised in an early 1900s postcard. "Ever ready to stand guard over the wagon, never willing to ride while the team is in motion; Jim is indeed a great dog."
X98X TIL the UK still retains 18 Queen’s Messengers, who hand deliver secret documents to British embassies worldwide, travelling undercover in business class. The diplomatic package has its own “passport”, as though it’s a human being, and is exempt from being searched or x-rayed by airport security.
78k0p TIL Stone Age people used to practice trepanning – an early medical procedure that involved drilling a hole in the skull. The patients didn’t all die. Lots of skulls have been found with partly healed holes.