› added 5 years ago

105

TIL About the legend of “Bob”, a newfoundland terrier from the nineteenth century who was found shipwrecked off the coast of England. He became known in London for saving people from drowning; 23 rescues in 14 years. In thanks, he became an honorary member of the Royal Humane Society.

eppgg Today I learned that the blue component of the light spectrum is essential for phenolic compounds (flavonoids, phenolic acids, etc.) production and accumulation in higher plants. This is possible thanks to photoreceptor signaling, especially involving cryptochromes.
jN8Ra TIL The Shepherd's Purse plant is considered a protocarnivore. The seeds of the plant attract and kill worms, which then decay and enrich the surrounding soil.
8aZeP TIL that when crowds get as dense as 6 or 7 people per square meter, they begin taking on the characteristics of fluids. This can lead to "crowd crushes," where waves propagate through the group and push people into tight spaces, crushing them to death.
BrvWK TIL in 1920, the last living relative of Chief Massasoit (who helped the Pilgrims) heard Plymouth MA was erecting a statue of her ancestor out of gratitude. She pulled out a tiny basket she wove — only 3/16" tall — and said "That basket would hold all of Massachusetts' gratitude for Massasoit."
X0Zj6 TIL that sideburns are named after U.S. Civil War General Ambrose Burnside who was noted for his unusual beard, the word burnsides was coined to describe this style. The syllables were later reversed to give sideburns