We all fly by the seat of our pants now and then, but how about flying with no pants at all? That was the plight of Jean-Pierre Blanchard and John Jeffries, who on January 7, 1785, made history over these chalk cliffs with the first aerial crossing of the English Channel. When their hydrogen-filled balloon dropped altitude due to overloading, the two tossed all the cargo they could into the drink below, britches included. Reaching France in their underpants, the undoubtedly chilly pilots still received a warm welcome.
Of balloons and lost pantaloons
Today in History
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Tesla, the visionary
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Astronomy Day
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El Valle de la Luna, Chile
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Brown bears in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska
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Virgin Islands National Park established
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The Bazaruto Archipelago of Mozambique
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Blackbird in Essex, England
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Pollinator Week
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Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
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Art and soul
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Happy Fathers Day!
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Regional Park of Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli, Italy
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Veterans Day
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The Wall for Peace
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Children at play for International Day of Friendship
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A river runs through it
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Joshua Tree National Park, California
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Cherry blossoms in Shanghai, China
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Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
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Honoring some real heroes of World War II
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Infant Sumatran orangutan, Indonesia
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Apple Tree Day
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Tennis in the park
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Falling for Rioja
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National Park Service anniversary
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The confluence of the Arve and Rhône Rivers
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Dolomites
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A truly American monument
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Bask in the glow—It s World Turtle Day
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Borovets ski resort in Bulgaria