› added 5 years ago

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TIL that the University of Glasgow created an artificial tongue using gold and aluminum that can distinguish between whiskeys with 99% accuracy, with the goal of reducing counterfeit alcohol in circulation.

Read more bbc.com

via reddit.com

wLpyM TIL an Ohio company including a physicist & biomimicry expert is developing a football helmet liner based on the shock-absorbing pelt of hedgehog quills. They've mimicked the structure of a hedgehog quill with a polymer which lets it bend but not break & mimicked the spacing & angle of each quill.
8o6Z TIL Hugh Hefner saved the iconic ‘HOLLYWOOD’ sign by donating $900k to buy the land before being bought by mansion developers.
wopyo TIL you can reduce the levels of forever chemicals (PFAS) in your blood through blood/plasma donations
nWlOr TIL that James Watt, inventor of the steam engine, also made musical instruments. He owned a fake name stamp for a famous flute maker, indicating he passed off cheap flutes as much more valuable.
ee7k TIL Stephen King said “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling is a terrific writer, while “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer “can’t write worth a darn.”