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179

TIL that citizens of former Spanish colonies only need 2 years of legal residence in Spain (instead of the usual 10) in order to acquire Spanish citizenship.

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via reddit.com

NXrP6 TIL that flying fish escape underwater predators by launching themselves through the air and gliding for hundreds of meters. However, if they fly too high, they encounter another predator in the air: frigatebirds.
XEYnj TIL that Warner Brothers called composer John Williams to compose music for a promotional reel for Harry Potter. He did it "sight unseen" (without looking at it). This music became Hedwig's theme and is the most recognized Harry Potter theme.
rbky TIL George Washington inoculated his troops against smallpox, reducing a 17% death rate from the disease down to 1%
YpBKW TIL the abbreviation “lb” for pound comes from the ancient Roman unit of measure “libra pondo”, meaning “a pound by weight”, which is also why we ended up calling it a “pound”.
JYxYB TIL that over 200 bird species including the Northern Cardinals, wild turkeys and Baltimore Orioles use a method of pest control called "anting." They take an ant in their beak and wipe their tail feathers in order to deter lice. The ants release formic acid that the birds utilize routinely.