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TIL Tolkien assisted on the Oxford Dictionary's first edition, focused on 'W' words waggle to warlock. He "learned more in those two years than in any other"; and certain etymologies continued to puzzle him for years, with many pages of notes written later on 'walrus' for a lecture at Leeds

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BrMBK TIL that in 1946, Argentina imported 20 beavers from Canada and stocked a lake with the intention of creating a fur trade. Now, the beaver population is 200k and threatens 16m hectares of Tierra Del Fuego National Park.
51DR TIL when New York City Hall was renovated in 1903, a secret stairwell was discovered, said to be used by aldermen to escape the building when angry constituents were waiting for them outside
nVwd TIL there is a shade of pink that, when stared at for a short period of time, drastically reduces strength, so much so that US colleges used to paint opposing team’s locker rooms with it.
xVD1k TIL of the Octopus Stinkhorn. The fungus erupts from the egg by forming into four to seven elongated slender arms. The arms unfold to reveal a pinkish-red interior covered with a dark-olive spore-containing gleba. In maturity it smells like putrid flesh.
ADWla TIL cows have best friends, and get stressed when separated.