Post * M7kXK — Curious Curator

› added 1 year ago

441

TIL that fossilization is so unlikely that scientists estimate that less one-tenth of 1% of all the animal species that have ever lived have become fossils.

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5Y49B TIL Phantosmia is a condition that causes you to smell odors that aren't actually present. When this happens, it's sometimes called an olfactory hallucination.

pYYdO TIL the asteroid impact that caused the dinosaur extinction set 70% of the world's forests on fire, caused tsunamis that rose to a height of 300ft (100m), and ejected 25 trillion metric tons of debris into the atmosphere that reduced sunlight by up to 90% for a decade.

oBLY7 TIL that the crinoline was a large wire cage worn around the waist of Victorian Era women that created a large hoop that was considered stylish at the time. Many died because of this fad for the their cumbersome nature, knocking over lamps or candles that ignited their flammable dresses.

gM16X TIL that the sub USS Archerfish was credited with only one sinking during WW2, the Japanese supercarrier Shinano. This remains the largest ship ever sunk by a sub, and measured by tonnage the most successful US patrol of the war.

ne9kP TIL: There are two red lines, on the floor, in the House Of Commons that opposing members are not allowed to cross. The measured distance is the length of two swords, and was intended to deter two members from initiating an on the spot duel.