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TIL that a particular species of beetle infiltrates ant colonies by mimicking the sounds that the queen makes, and then moves around the colony at will, preying on ants, and is “treated like royalty”, according to a study.

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EgeY7 TIL Thomas Edison's son, Thomas Edison Jr was an aspiring inventor, but lacking his father's talents, he became a snake oil salesman who advertised his scam products as "the latest Edison discovery". His dad took him to court, and Jr agreed to stop using the Edison name in exchange for a weekly fee
PYdlg TIL the world's first computer: The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC). Originally built at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering, in 1946, ENIAC weighed 60,000 pounds and took up a room larger than most studio apartments (1,500 square feet).
OGEQ4 TIL the smell of freshly cut grass is actually a plant distress signal. When grass is cut, it releases compounds called green leaf volatiles, which signal injury and can attract predators of plant-eating insects.
rNObo TIL the name of the Smith & Wollensky steakhouse was created by selecting two random names from a phone book. First names for the fictional founders were the names of the actual founder's dogs.
5VlMP TIL the brightest star in the nighttime sky, Sirius, was important to both Egyptians and Polynesians, serving as a predictor of the Nile’s upcoming flood season and a key point for navigating the South Pacific islands