Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the former West Germany, were the founding members of the European Union. The city of Brussels is the de facto capital of the European Union; it also serves as the center for the Benelux secretariat and the headquarters for the NATO alliance.
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Gastornis giganteus - After the disappearance of the dinosaurs, the largest meat eaters in parts of Europe and North America were flightless birds known as “terror cranes.” Some of these cranes stood 2.1 meters tall and had massive jaws able to crush the small and medium-sized mammals of the day. Further examination of fossilized remains suggests these birds may not have been carnivores. The legs lacked the ability to pursue fast prey and the beak structure is more suitable to a herbivore. The terror crane debate is unresolved.
