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TIL The very distinctive black and white pattern of Killer Whales (Orcas) serves as a form of camouflage from their prey. Like military airplanes that are colored light on the undersides and dark on top, this color pattern makes the whales less visible from both above and below.

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8a05Z TIL that there is a method of teaching in Buddhism called 'wrathful teaching' wherein the teacher deliberately provokes anger, confusion, and other negative emotions in students for the purpose of their spiritual advancement
J1D0Q TIL that Native Americans hunted bison by forcing the herd to run off a cliff.
QQLM TIL two million citizens of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia held hands in 1989, forming a 600 km (370 mi) human chain to protest against Soviet occupation. The Soviet Union threatened “catastrophic consequences”, but ended up peacefully giving the states their freedom.
0a4A TIL Henry Moseley, the scientist that pioneered the concept of the atomic number, volunteered for combat duty in World War I, and was killed by a Turkish sniper. As a result of his death, scientists were later prevented from enlisting in the military.
vYG7 TIL that a compound called ClF3 oxidizes so well that it will spontaneously ignite upon contact with nearly all matter including ash, metal, glass, sand, and teflon. It reacts explosively with water, forming HF and HCl, and does not need oxygen to burn.