› added 3 years ago

346

TIL that quahogs (a common clam) are among the longest-lived marine organisms in the world and can live up to 200 years old. They don't reproduce until around 6 years old, and don't reach commercially harvestable size until about 20 years old.

Read more fisheries.noaa.gov

via reddit.com

7r9Qx TIL of Daniel Boria. Labelled the 'Bolloniatic' Daniel flew over Calgary in Lawn Chair as publicity stunt for his cleaning company by strapping $13000 worth of industrial balloons onto a Canadian Tire lawn chair. Upon landing he was apprehended by police and later fined $5000 for the stunt.
4X1GN TIL a Chinese teen visiting Egypt in 2013 prompted outrage when he wrote his name on the wall of an ancient monument. He carved 'Ding Jinhao was here' in Chinese into the wall of 3,500 year old Luxor Temple.
PYvpL TIL the Pharma company Allergan gave a number of their patents to a Native American tribe (and licensed the patents back to themselves) so that the tribe could asset "sovereign immunity" and prevent the patents from being invalidated.
jaap TIL that the first successful anal fistula surgery was performed on Louis XIV in 1686. Anal fistulas then became highly fashionable among his royal court, with people lining up to undergo the procedure whether they needed it or not, or placing bandages on their bums to pretend that they did.
d0lQ TIL In ancient Athens, a beautiful courtesan named Phryne was put on trial for a capital crime. Her defense, in the most well-known story of the event, consisted of stripping in court and asking the (all-male) jury if they were prepared to destroy this. She was acquitted.