Engineers Drained the Niagara Falls and Uncovered Its Dark History

A Bizarre Death

In 1984, Canadian stuntman Karel Soucek survived his journey in a barrel over the Falls, which ignited a modern urge to complete the same task. Tragically, he died the following year at the Houston Astrodome in Texas while trying to recreate his stunt. In 1990, American Jesse Sharp attempted to tackle the Falls in just a canoe but disappeared in the massive wall of water.

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The More You Know

  • Researchers have found that swearing when in pain may release pain-killing endorphins.
  • The oceans contain 200,000 different kinds of viruses.
  • The stars and flashes of light you see when you rub your eyes are called "phosphenes."
  • A 26-sided shape is known as a small rhombicuboctahedron.
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