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TIL in 1907 Lawrence Luellen, a Boston lawyer, was concerned about the spread of germs due to people sharing glasses and dippers in public drinking spaces. He invented the first paper cup, dubbed the Klean Cup. 5 years later he renamed it after a popular line of toys: Dixie Dolls. Thus, Dixie Cups.

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9wO1X TIL that smells can pass through liquid, which is why sharks can detect blood. The speed at which smells travel underwater is boosted by water currents, tides, and various movements, not just diffusion alone.
jNv5E TIL Mason bees can pollinate anywhere from 20-100k blossoms per day while honeybees pollinate only 50-1000 blossoms per day, making the native North American mason bee a far more efficient pollinator than the European honey bee.
8an9G TIL the Appalachian Mountains span three countries—the United States, Canada, and France
pyn8 TIL the highest paid woman CEO in the US was born a male.
QJ18e TIL of Richard Pavlick, a retired postal worker who slipped past the Secret Service on a mission to assassinate president-elect JFK in 1960. Pavlick decided not to attempt the assassination because he did not wish to harm Kennedy's wife and children.