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TIL Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) is the most expensive independent film ever made with a production budget of around $180 million. Although it grossed $226 million worldwide, it was considered a box-office bomb due to its high production and advertising costs.

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E1pld TIL that the name for Russia comes from the Finnish word "Rus" which means Swede (as in "a person from Sweden"). Russians originate from Varangians (type of Vikings) originating from Sweden who later became slavicized.
8eYEV TIL during the 2010 eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull (which resulted in the several day closure of European airspace) one of the only European airports to remain open was Iceland's Keflavík International Airport.
jNjkN TIL the original Pong game created by Al Alcorn had a glitch that would make the paddles on both sides not go all the way to the top. This was due to a defect in the circuit. Alcorn wanted to fix it but decided it was important because two good players would have played forever if it had been fixed.
W84X TIL that the phrase “close, but no cigar” originated from carnivals/fairs using cigars as prizes in the early 20th century. After playing a game but not winning they would say close, but no cigar. Sense these carnivals traveled all over the place, it became a well known saying.
VMBaG TIL that during the 1920s a class president candidate at Harvard swallowed a live goldfish in a bid to win more votes. The stunt created a trend of 'goldfish swallowing' which became so popular that eventually Massachusetts state legislature had to create a bill banning it