› added 5 years ago

323

TIL that the Bald Eagle (the national bird of the United States) is one of the greatest conservation success stories ever. Populations dwindled in the 1900's due to the insecticide DDT which caused eggs to break. After the banning of DDT, eagles can now be found in 49 out of 50 US states.

Read more abcbirds.org

via reddit.com

MeyAm TIL - A symbiotic fungus can turn regular pine trees into carnivorous plants that consume up to 90% of soil-dwelling insects the fungus-infected roots can reach for their nitrogen, which the trees use for growth
EaGP TIL that we kiss under the mistletoe to honour Balder, the Norse god, and brother of Thor.
b9VoE TIL Japan in WWII launched over 9,000 balloon bombs that were carried across the Pacific Ocean by the jet stream. The bombs killed 6 people, started forest fires, and one traveled as far East as Farmington, Michigan. The balloons were made of paper.
XJlk TIL the international reactions and events around the US invasion of Grenada were strikingly similar to the Russian invasion of Crimea.
xVOLk TIL that the electric car FOMM ONE is designed to float on water in the event of floods and tsunamis.