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TIL Sunflower (Helianthus tuberosus) root, also called Jersualem artichokes or Sunchokes, are native to North America. Native Americans were first to cultivate sunflower roots for food. Resists cold, drought, wind. The roots contain inulin, which is firmly established to decrease blood cholesterol.

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PYoAE TIL: In a room at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond all sound from the outside world is locked out. It's called an "anechoic" chamber, because it creates no echo at all. The background noise is so low that it approaches the lowest threshold theorized by mathematicians - next step is vacuum.
pjXN TIL Michael Phelps was once ranked No. 2 in his age class as a youth swimmer. The No. 1 swimmer was current NBA player Kris Humphries.
Y7yZZ TIL the bäckadräkten, Sweden's first unisex folk costume
ADDld TIL Laika, the first living being launched to space exactly 60 years ago, had a painful death. Until 2002 russian authorities sustained she survived for several days and died painlessly, assuring it was possible to live in space.
m0Zy TIL that a child was raised in isolation and abuse for 13 years, when she was found she had a mental age equivalent to a 13 month old baby.