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TIL Humans kill somewhere between 100 & 273 million sharks annually . Most are slaughtered exclusively for their fins to make a soup that is unhealthy—the tissue contains high levels of methylmercury. Population declines since the 1970s: blacktip = 93%, tiger = 97%, bull/dusky/hammerhead = 98%.

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BgWnb TIL Sadleria cyatheoides, or ʻamaʻu, is a fern endemic to Hawaii and is found in lava flows, open areas, and wet forests on all major islands. the ferns young fronds are often tinted red to protect against harmful sun rays
EgGXw TIL that VLF, used to communicate with submarines, creates a bubble around the Earth that protects us from Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections
Z8OBB TIL that Horace de Vere Cole would wander the streets with a cow's teat poking through the fly of his trousers; once he judged he had caused optimum outrage he would cut off the offending protrusion with a pair of scissors.
Rb4Q TIL that for $700, girls can get their hymen rebuilt to fake virginity when getting married in China.
awN9L TIL The Greek philosopher Plato's real name is unknown, as "Plato" is his wrestling nickname