› added 12 years ago

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TIL - Those stars and colours you see when you rub your eyes are called phosphenes.

Read more ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

via reddit.com

5VvG9 TIL about the Kazakh Famine (1930–1933), which killed around 1.5 million people. Between 38–42% of ethnic Kazakhs died, and as a result, Kazakhs did not become the majority in their own country again until the 1990s.
grmL8 TIL that on April 12, 1945, a tornado outbreak occurred in the Midwestern United States, killing at least 128 people. However, the concurrent news of the death of president Franklin D. Roosevelt overshadowed news of the outbreak.
PYbPV TIL "Japan was changed forever by the devastating triple tragedy that unfolded on March 11, 2011, bringing an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis." "The total cost of the catastrophe has been put at $286 billion by the World Bank, making it the most expensive disaster of all time."
jv6X TIL in 1943, a Mexican farmer named Dionisio Pulido had a volcano start to form in his corn field. By the early 50s it was over 400 meters tall. Before being evacuated and leaving his home for the last time, he left a sign that read “This volcano is owned and operated by Dionisio Pulido.”
GAMWj TIL that seagulls have a special gland that allows them to drink saltwater without getting dehydrated. This gland filters out the salt, which they then excrete through their nostrils. I found it fascinating because it shows how well-adapted these birds are to their coastal environments!