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TIL while trying to perform a magic trick to amuse his children, Isambard Kingdom Brunel (generally cited as one of the most important engineers ever) inhaled a coin which stuck in his windpipe. After a machine Brunel devised failed, his father proposed turning him upside-down, dislodging the coin.

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eOn5 TIL that the phrase “third world” was coined during the Cold War and refers to any country not involved in the competition of democracy vs communism at the time.
XjXk TIL when the Pope dies, it’s tradition to confirm the death ceremonially by gently tapping the pope’s head thrice with a silver hammer, calling his birth name each time.
y1Jl TIL Thomas Macdonald is one of the people most responsible for the American highway system. He oversaw construction of over 3.5 million miles of road, serving under seven different presidents. He has been compared to J Edgar Hoover in terms of the political power he had in Washington.
6ElWY TIL the original Wrigley Field was in Los Angeles, not Chicago. It hosted the Angels their first season in the American League and Home Run Derby.
Z8KQG TIL Walt Disney's younger sister Ruth lived to age 92. Ruth was very shy and private, giving less than a half dozen interviews over the decades. Walt would send an annual December birthday letter to Ruth, accompanied by a check along with a selection of Disney-related merchandise for her son