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TIL researchers have been working for years to develop a strain of coffee plant which is naturally decaffeinated. While they made progress, there's a big drawback. Caffeine functions as a natural insecticide. By removing it from the plant, you leave the crop more vulnerable.

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via reddit.com

wLEK8 TIL The liquid breathing scene in The Abyss is based on reality, and the white rat was actually locked in a box of fluorocarbon (the "breathable" solution).
nWL5Y TIL Papua is at war - Inside The West Papua Liberation Army
DYoY TIL Its not actually true that the US space program spent millions on developing a pen that worked in space, whereas the Russians just used a pencil. They both used pencils at first, but the shavings and chipped graphite floating around were harmful to the astronauts and computers
o68A TIL of Edward VIII who held the title of King of England for just 11 months. He abdicated the throne so that he could marry a woman the British government did not approve of as she had been divorced. They remained married until his death.
J1Xy4 TIL if you want to look for the Northern Lights online, the live feeds for Air Greenland will often have them streaming.