› added 4 years ago

74

TIL about Pando, a colony of over 40,000 trees that are actually one organism. It's also known as the quaking aspen and The Trembling Giant.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

l78a5 TIL Quaternary Twins are when two babies are both cousins and genetically siblings. This happens when two identical sisters have children with two identical brothers.
a8k4N TIL when a liquid is close to a surface significantly hotter than its boiling point, it produces an insulating vapor layer that keeps it hovering above the hot surface. This is called the Leidenfrost effect and visible when water drops hit a hot pan and skid around instead of boiling away instantly.
6lyX TIL Although considered by many to be taboo when cousins get married, the risk of them having offspring with genetic defects is not significantly higher than two random strangers having kids.
WkjRo TIL that Subway's BMT sandwich stands for "Biggest, Meatiest, Tastiest"
0dgpv TIL Hippocrates coined the term "Cancer" (Karkinoma) because tumors reminded him of crabs. The central body and extensions of a tumor looked like a crab and its legs. "Karkinoma" is Greek for "crab".