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TIL termites are being researched as a possible renewable energy source as they can produce up to 2 litres of hydrogen from ingesting a single sheet of paper, making them one of the planet's most efficient bioreactors

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epZl5 TIL that Nauru, the third smallest country in the world (8sq miles) had a 10 year civil war in 1878 that saw the island's population fall from ~1500 to >1000, sparked by the introduction of firearms. It eventually ended when the German Empire intervened and confiscated >700 rifles.
VMln0 TIL anyone who immigrated to America from 1776 to 1881 — when 87% of arrivals came from northwest Europe — had virtually no legal restrictions. Restrictions only began in 1882, when "too many Asians" began to enter, which led to a ban on Chinese citizens.
ep7WL TIL the first paramedics in North America were African American
BQeW TIL In the 1950’s Australia dosed the feral Rabbit population with a virus. It was responsible for the deaths of 500 million rabbits in 2 years. That’s 684,931 rabbits per day.
XEDZ8 TIL in the late 1800s Australian surveyors had realised the two tallest mountains, Mt. Kosciuszko and Mt. Townsend, were mismeasured, and in fact Mt. Townsend was taller. Instead of rewriting many textbooks the NSW government decided to switch the two names, leaving us with what we have today.