Snopes.com - Spelling bee champion Zaila Avant-garde, 'Chernobyl-grown carrots,' and the Titanoboa monster snake

​ FRIDAY EDITION Snopes Debunker 9 July 2021 Tonight: Spelling bee champion Zaila Avant-garde, 'Chernobyl-grown carrots,' and the Titanoboa monster snake ​ Was Zaila Avant-garde in a Steph Curry Commercial? Yesterday, 14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde made history when she correctly spelled the word “murraya” to become the first Black American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the nearly 100-year history of the contest. Avant-garde’s talents also purportedly earned her a spot in a commercial with NBA star Steph Curry. Dan Evon reports. Read More Support Snopes Today Every dollar that you contribute to Snopes goes directly toward growing our newsroom, expanding our fact-checking efforts, and improving our website’s experience. $5 $10 $20.21 $50 $100 Other Fact Checks and Original Reporting Are These ‘Chernobyl-Grown Carrots’ Real? These carrots weren't grown in Chernobyl ... or Spain. Read Story. Is This a Titanoboa Monster Snake Skeleton? A prehistoric snake dubbed Titanoboa cerrejonensis is estimated to have been an astonishing 42.5 feet in length. Read Story. Does Zaila Avant-garde Hold Basketball-Related Guinness World Records? After she became the first Black American to win the National Spelling Bee, attention turned to the Louisiana eighth-grader's remarkable resumé. Read Story. Video Shows Kingsnake Swallowing Rattlesnake at San Diego Home It's not uncommon for a kingsnake to devour a rattlesnake, but it is rare to witness the act happening two steps outside a residential garage. Read Story. View Latest Fact Checks Entertainment Rumors, legends, and lore about Hollywood, the entertainment industry, and its many stars. Read More News 52 Dead in Bangladesh Factory Fire; Workers Locked Inside Many workers jumped from the upper floors of the factory, and at least 26 suffered injuries, the United News of Bangladesh agency reported. Read More Tropical Storm Elsa Soaks NYC As It Races Up East Coast Heavy rains were causing traffic hazards around New York City, which was already reeling from a deluge Thursday that flooded roads and at least one subway station. Read More African American Spelling Bee Champ Makes History Declared the champion, Zaila jumped and twirled with joy, only flinching in surprise when confetti was shot onto the stage. Read More

View Latest News Staff Pick ​ What Does ‘False Flag’ Mean? Originally, the term "false flag" referred to a ship "sailing under false colors," or flying the flag of another nation to conceal its true nationality. Read More