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TIL certain moths have developed sound absorbing wings that make it harder for bats to hunt and eat them with their echolocation. The structure of the moth wings might someday help people soundproof places

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4bgb TIL that earwax plugs from whales can be used to determine their age, much like tree rings. In 2013 a study examined a foot-long earwax plug from a blue whale to also determine when it was exposed to certain chemicals in the environment.
wLXwJ TIL the leaves of the Australian Gympie Gympie plant are covered by hollow glass needles filled with a neurotoxin. The sting can last for years and is so exquisitely painful people have killed themselves after being stung.
oRRLE TIL that when Philip Morris marketed a "fire-safe" cigarette, it was a greater fire risk than conventional cigarettes and they fired the scientist that tried to warn them.
v6Ex TIL For Star Wars Episode I, sets were only built as tall as the actors’ heads. The rest of the sets were created using CGI. However, Liam Neeson’s height necessitated the rebuilding of the sets, which cost the production team an extra $150,000.
WJgN TIL the Stone Age ended between 4,000 and 10,000 years ago, but lasted roughly 3.4 million years. The Stone Age represents more that just the beginning of human existence, it’s the overwhelming bulk of human existence