* Astronomy

Nicholas Piantanida (August 15, 1932 - August 29, 1966) was a New Jersey truck driver who died after his third attempt to set a record for high-altitude parachute jumping. On May 5, 1966, during his ascent for a planned super-sonic free fall from over 120,000 feet, Piantanida's face mask depressurised at about the 57,000 feet mark. The lack of oxygen left him brain damaged and in a coma from which he never recovered.
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