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TIL The origin of french fries is a hotly contested issue between Belgium and France. Belgium claims a 1781 family manuscript proves they were invented there, while France claims Paris street vendors invented the dish just before the French revolution.

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AN9aB TIL Rafflesia arnoldii, the corpse flower, or giant padma, is a species of flowering plant in the parasitic genus Rafflesia. It is noted for producing the largest individual flower on Earth, over 3 feet in diameter. It has a strong and unpleasant odor of decaying flesh.
wL7DJ TIL the term "Cockney" literally means "cock's egg" in Middle English. It originally referred to the small, yolkless eggs that farmers sometimes find in their chicken coops, and later became slang for a feeble and useless person—such as a city dweller.
RXWl TIL When the Titanic sunk, the official investigation declared that it went down in one piece, despite the reports of survivors that they witnessed the breakup. Only in 1985 when the wreck was discovered were the survivors stories finally confirmed.
0wkmv TIL Philip Seymour Hoffman was once starstruck when he found jazz legend Miles Davis swimming in the pool where he was a lifeguard. Hoffman played it cool and pretended he didn't know who the mysterious man was and his indifference earned him an afternoon chat about everything except music.
x9xg TIL The James Randi Educational Foundation will pay $1,000,000 to any person who demonstrates any psychic, supernatural, or paranormal ability under satisfactory observation. In the 50 years it’s been running, no one has passed the preliminary test.