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TIL anyone joining the French Foreign Legion MUST do so anonymously with a fake name. After 1 year they can request permission to divulge their real name or, if they “are in trouble with the law”, the Legion will issue official documents for the fake name so they can can fully assume a new identity.

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epO66 TIL the honey made from rhododendrons has intoxicating effects and is called “Mad Honey.” It has been used as a medicine and as a drug.
xV5rk TIL that "Lethal White" syndrome is an autosomal genetic disorder that is most common in American Paint Horses where foals are born all white with blue eyes and appear to be normal but internally they have a non functioning colon which results in a very painful death after only a few days.
dDAXZ TIL instead of Valentine's Day, Romanians celebrate "Dragobete" on February 24th. It's a celebration of spring and love, on the day when birds (supposedly) start nests.
BgQZW TIL That more creative people report greater trauma in their childhood.
awwyo Pyrocumulus clouds tower tall above a wildfire in these photos taken last week from an Oregon National Guard F-15C. Most cumulus clouds form when the sun-warmed surface heats air, causing it to rise and carry moisture upward where it condenses to form clouds. In pyrocumulus clouds, the driving heat is supplied by a forest fire or volcanic eruption. The hot, rising air carries smoke and soot particles upward, where they become nucleation sites for condensation. Pyrocumulus clouds can be especially turbulent, and the gusting winds they produce can exacerbate wildfires. In some cases, the clouds can even develop into a pyrocumulonimbus thunderstorm with rain and lightning.