› added 4 years ago

72

TIL There is a chlamydia epidemic among koalas.

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78Z07 TIL that many viruses are beneficial. Some viruses, called phages, infect and manage bacterial populations. Others help plants survive in extremely hot soil. And, ancient viruses may have greatly influenced our DNA today.
69moZ TIL In 1967, a rocket from an F-4 Phantom was accidentally fired on the deck of the USS Forrestal due to a power surge. The rocket struck the fuel tank of an A-4 Skyhawk, causing a fire which then detonated the aircraft bombs. 21 aircraft were lost, 40 damaged and 167 sailors killed.
4okX TIL The longest novel ever published is ‘Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus’ by Madeleine de Scudéry (1653) with 2.1 million words.
gMjE8 TIL in a study of cats who have fallen from multi-story buildings, 90% have survived, and cats who fell higher than 7 stories suffered less injuries, while those who fell between 2 and 6 stories sustained more injuries.
9w0lX TIl In 1891, when the first Thai typewriter was developed, two lesser-used consonants were left out because they did not fit on the typewriter; this contributed to their eventual obsolescence.