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174

TIL that Italian Americans were not always considered white in America

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NM7Q TIL some deep sea sea cucumbers can slough off their bioluminscent skin upon contact, thus turning their predators into targets
mxRWo TIL researchers sent out surveys to 23AndMe users asking if they noticed a smell when peeing after eating asparagus. Using the 53% that said "Yes", they were able to isolate the specific part of the DNA that determines whether you can smell asparagus pee.
W7NGL TIL the evolutionary leap from egg laying to placental birth may have been helped by DNA from an ancient retrovirus, which coded for a protein allowing cells around the placenta to fuse, blocking the exchange of maternal-fetal blood and preventing the mother’s immune system from harming the fetus.
1yR8 TIL the actor who played Boba Fett in the original trilogy was cast solely based on his uncannily fitting the costume which had already been made.
bxDp TIL: The Rabies symptoms, hydrophobia, extra saliva, and difficulty swallowing are results of the virus settling in the salivary glands for the purpose of easier transmission through biting. The infected animal’s ability to transmit the virus would be reduced if it could swallow saliva and water.