› added 9 months ago

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TIL that our DNA is full of genes that no longer work. Called pseudogenes, many have "good" versions in other species. For example GULO allows most animals to make their own vitamin C. Our version is GULOP, and is broken. Freakily, there are about as many pseudogenes as working genes in human DNA.

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OoPJ1 TIL a total of nine nuclear submarines have been sunk around the world and most remain on the ocean floor with their nuclear weapons and reactors intact.
BrQjK TIL: in 1952 President Truman attempted to nationalize the Steel Industry during a worker’s strike. Using an executive order to try and seize steel mills and force workers back to the job to support the Korean War, it was overturned by the Supreme Court for exceeding presidential authority
WkK7N TIL Cats only have a few hundred taste buds, compared to 9000+ for humans. They are unable to taste anything sweet. They dislike anything bitter like lemons or coffee, interpreting it as something dangerous.
BrXKr TIL that if the atom was the size of the observable universe, then the theoretical ‘string’ in string theory would be the size of a tree.
RBNQ TIL that in 1999, 47 black residents of a Texas town were arrested on drug charges solely on the uncorroborated word of one undercover agent who was a member of the KKK. Many were sentenced to long prison terms; some served years before release. For doing this, the officer got 10 years probation.