› added 5 months ago

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TIL indigenous Bolivians in the Andes have evolved to be arsenic resistant due the strong presence of AS3MT enzyme in their bodies that can metabolize the toxic element which is naturally found in drinking water.

Read more sciencedirect.com

via reddit.com

wokxY TIL that tattooing is illegal in Cuba
nW7G9 TIL: Papua New Guinea, a country in Oceania has one of the worlds highest crime rates.
p8jO4 TIL that there's a national Rotten Sneaker Contest in the US that's gone on since the 1970s. The person with the nastiest sneakers/other sports shoes wins, and gets $2,500. It's a marketing campaign for Odor-Eaters, for ages 5-15.
vj1x TIL there is an ancient old growth forest bordering Poland called Białowieża Forest. It resembles what most of Europe looked like before the 14th century. This story of conservation has been well documented over the last 500 years and is almost as rich as the ecosystem the forest supports.
4XkoN TIL: There is a program designed to help kids with learning and developmental disorders called Brain Balance