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TIL of Mr. Skygack, from Mars. Running from 1907 to 1911, it is considered to be the first science-fiction comic, featuring the first extraterrestrial character in comics history. It also inspired the first cosplay, where a man wore a Mr. Skygack costume to a masquerade in 1908.

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E1JYo TIL Russia developed the Istrebitel Sputnikov (IS). The IS, launched via ICBM, would maneuver to within a 1 km of a target satellite and detonate onboard explosives. The IS was tested approximately 20 times between 1963 and 1982, with several confirmed satellite kills.
JVNk TIL in Soviet Russia There Were 2 Newspapers: Pravda, which means the “Truth” & Izvestia, which means the “News”. The Russians Joked, “There is no truth in the News, and there is no news in the Truth.”
JAgl TIL Mohammed wrote an open letter to Christians that declared their right to self-governance, protection for churches and monasteries, and freedom to practice their religion openly in Muslim controlled areas. Muslims are commanded to follow this until the end of time.
n5e9 TIL Tarantulas and other spiders lack leg extending muscles, and rely on the blood pressure spike from a heartbeat to ‘reinflate’ the leg back to its extended position. This is why spiders curl up when they die.
J7Nv TIL In 1946 Orson Welles declined FDR’s suggestion to run for Democratic Senator for his home state of Wisconsin. The seat was won by Joseph McCarthy. Later Welles said “I didn’t believe the American people would ever vote for a divorced Hollywood actor.”