› added 3 years ago

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TIL that the river-dwelling Mexican Tetra fish is capable of regenerating its heart tissue with no scarring. The genes that are responsible for this, named iirc10 and caveolin, can also be found in humans too. Scientists believe the genes can be activated to regenerate heart tissue in us as well.

Read more bbc.com

via reddit.com

x6B6B TIL They made some random black guy an exhibit at the Bronx Zoo in 1906. His name was Ota Benga, an African Pygmy.
0QXy TIL a boy was allowed to change his own name when he was 8 years old. Today, he is Dr. Loki Skylizard.
Lk5Em TIL that there is a certain type of Australian beetle which is threatened with exctinction because the male beetles try to have sex with beer bottles instead of females.
vPYV4 TIL that space has a smell. Astronauts often describe it as smelling like walnuts, brake pads, gunpowder and burnt meat.
EQW0 TIL the Nazis kidnapped hundreds of thousands of Polish children they deemed to be racially superior, and forcibly Germanized them. Only 10-15% were ever returned.