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TIL the common ancestor of all vertebrates had not 3 but 4 cones for detecting color. Most mammals later lost 2 cones from being nocturnal and primates evolved one back after that!

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0d7gp TIL Beagles are the dog breed most often used in animal testing, due to their size and passive nature.
EgDVw TIL that the blue jay can be beneficial to other birds, as it may chase predatory birds and will scream if it sees a predator within its territory. It has also been known to sound an alarm call when hawks or other dangers are near, and smaller birds often recognize it and hide.
N7OYJ TIL in 1956 the Soviet Union had considered a plan to build a 55-mile dam across the Bering Strait, pump warm water into the Arctic Ocean, and thaw Siberia.
oBGPR TIL that as of May of this year, there are still two survivors of the polio epidemic living in the US that depend on iron lungs
d8Qvd TIL that John Krasinski had to shave his head for a film role and wore a wig for several episodes of "The Office."