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TIL that Dean Koontz decided not to sue the filmmakers of High Tension for plagiarizing his book Intensity because he found the film to be so puerile, so disgusting, and so intellectually bankrupt he didn’t want the association with it that would come from a lawsuit.

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n1br Hippos cannot swim. Their bodies are far too dense to float. Instead, they push off the bottom of the river or run along the riverbed.
jN6KR You probably know that your visual perception of the world is a bit different than your pets’. Dogs see things with less color than humans, snakes can see infrared, and if you have a pet bull, it lives in a world where red and green are the same color. This brings up a good question. Why do you have a pet bull? You should get a cat instead, and when you do, it is important to know that your new friend can’t focus on objects farther than 20 feet away. The point is, animals have evolved to see in a variety of ways. But how can we see things through their eyes? Marine biologist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer David Gruber collaborated with a research team to develop lights and camera filters that allowed him to do just that, underwater. Through their work, the team discovered biofluorescence in an abundance of aquatic species. This “glowing” trait has to do with how an organism absorbs and emits light. Research has indicated that this radiance is possibly used for communication and camouflage. One caveat: You need a certain species of eyes (or David’s camera) to see it. Swell sharks (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum) have fluorescent proteins inside their skin, which are triggered by the ocean’s blue light, becoming visible to other swell sharks. David’s camera has special yellow filters that allow the simulation of a swell shark’s vision. It turns out there is a massive rave going on 500 meters below the ocean’s surface, and one of the glowing guests is a type of cat shark!
1XOO TIL the Director of the FBI keeps a copy of the Wiretap for MLK on his desk as a reminder of past mistakes.
y4AJ TIL handshakes were originally meant to make sure that the person you were meeting wasn’t carrying a concealed weapon. The hand clasp proved that your hand was empty and shaking was meant to dislodge any weapons hiding up the sleeve.
d8B0r TIL Since 1994, possession of 1 gram of cocaine has been legal for personal use in Colombia. Sale remains illegal, but personal production or gifts of cocaine are permitted.