/f/todayilearned
TIL In 1983, Air Force One (with Reagan aboard) landed six minutes before a microburst slammed into the ground at Andrews Air Force Base, causing wind speeds to hit 149 mph. At the time, that was the fastest wind speed ever measured by an anemometer.
usatoday.comSubmitted by theotherbogart t3_yr2pva
TIL about Deaf lifeguard Leroy Colombo, who overcame childhood paralysis through swimming and saved a record-breaking 900+ lives during his career. His swimming talent and use of sight rather than sound to identify drowning swimmers allowed him to save people other lifeguards would have missed.
americacomesalive.comSubmitted by lemontreelemur t3_yvg986
Submitted by [deleted] t3_z7eewj
TIL the Great Pyramid of Giza is not the largest pyramid in the world, Great Pyramid of Cholula, also known as Tlachihualtepetl, is the largest archaeological site of a pyramid in the New World, as well as the largest pyramid by volume known to exist in the world today.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Mind-Matters-Not t3_z109pu
TIL in 1954, Ann Hodges was struck by a meteorite that crashed through her ceiling. A piece of it was found by a farmer who sold it & bought *a house & a car*. Ownership was disputed & she was unable to sell it, despite paying $500 to the other claimant & she ended up donating it to a museum.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Ihavepurpleshoes t3_z8z28u
TIL that the British SAS was originally a fake regiment used to deceive Axis intelligence and was made real in 1941 by David Stirling who wanted a rogue regiment. Their first successful mission was stealing euipment (including a piano) from a New Zealand base
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Never-asked-for-this t3_z5ikzh