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TIL Soviet scientists accidently turned lead into gold during their tests with an experimental nuclear reactor

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d8mP7 TIL California Endangered Species Act doesn't include protection provisions for insects; instead of trying to add insects to the act, a group of environmentalists tried to get bees categorized as fish because the act's definition of fish includes animals without backbones.
pyGQ TIL that people who complain generally live longer, because it’s a way to relieve stress.
AE1n TIL Charlie Chaplin was banned from reentering the United States in 1952, primarily due to speculation that he was a communist
ADNWa The human brain looks like a big, pinkish-gray, wrinkly walnut. There are so many folds in it that, if it could be unfolded, it could be a small tablecloth. Pinkish-gray might not match your decor, but it would be about the right size! This "tablecloth" is made up of the cerebral cortex and is the wrinkly outside layer of your brain. All those folds are responsible for abstract thought, language, and memory. Scientists believe the wrinkles exist as a way to increase the surface area of the cortex, allowing for increased brainpower in a smaller space. In this week’s Today I Learned, neuroscientist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Steve Ramirez shares some of his smarts on how your cortex is different from your pet hamster’s.
b9N19 TIL of Mamitu Gashe, an Ethiopian woman who suffered from an obstetric fistula as a teen. She remained at the free hospital where it was repaired to help out with chores. Over time her responsibilities grew, until she became one of the leading surgeons in her field without formal medical education.