› added 1 year ago

33

TIL a fungus infects ants' central nervous systems. Once it has been in an insect for 9 days, it acquires full control. It forces the ant to climb trees, then convulse and fall into the moist soil. Once there, the fungus waits until solar noon to force the ant to bite a leaf and wait for death.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

rRZVM TIL that spicy food tolerance is genetic
LgBQ TIL the largest waterfall in the world was completely flooded and destroyed by the construction of the Itaipu Dam in 1982. It is now a reservoir.
a8e0J TIL that The Royal Game of Ur is the oldest known board game in the world. The oldest set found is of Ancient Sumerian from the 3rd millennium BC. It was popular for several thousand years, and for good reason. Here is the game explained by Dr. Irving Finkel (it actually looks fun)
WmxN TIL there is a retirement home for ageing filmstars
kJo7 TIL: Bugs Bunny’s nonchalant carrot-chewing standing position, originated in a scene in the film It Happened One Night, in which Clark Gable’s character leans against a fence, eating carrots rapidly and talking with his mouth full.