› added 6 months ago

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TIL about Torsten Stålnacke - a Swede who, on 1961/09/14, during the Congo Crisis, had his jaw nearly shot off in battle. Forced to clear his windpipe of bone fragments in order to breathe, Torsten used M3-E1 to destroy an enemy APC - all the while holding his almost blown off chin in his free hand!

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d1EZ TIL of the Steller’s sea cow. At up to thirty feet long, it was one of the largest mammals to have ever lived. It was famous among sailors because its meat was reportedly delicious and lasted for months without spoiling. Within twenty seven years of its discovery, it was hunted to extinction.
1aVW TIL Tom Dempsey, a man born with a club foot (no toes) and kicked for the Saints - holds the 42 year old NFL field goal record of 63 yards. (It was tied today for the 3rd time by San Fran’s David Akers).
rRA6M TIL in 1918 a man crashed, "died," was buried in a coffin, exhumed against family wishes 2 days later after an insurance debate, found ALIVE (due to being in a low-oxygen coma state), went on to become a French celebrity and invented a breathing tube apparatus/wine pack for coffins.
oBwwR TIL that France suffered from demographic stagnation through the 19th century. While Germany and the UK increased their population by 60% and 54%, France grew only by 8%. If France had the same population growth as England, it's current population would've been over 150 million people.
R5eA4 TIL that a snowflake takes 1 hour to fall from a cloud to the ground