› added 7 years ago

298

TIL: When clasped by a predator, the spiny mouse is able to shed its skin, sometimes losing up to 60 percent of it’s skin in a single slough to escape. It can then regrow it over the course of a few days. It is the only known mammal to practice Autotomy, or self amputation.

Read more blogs.scientificamerican.com

via reddit.com

oEbL TIL of Sergeant Stubby the most decorated dog of WWI & the only dog to be promoted by combat. He saved his regiment from mustard gas attacks comforted the wounded & notified his troop of oncoming artillery. After the war led parades across the country met 3 presidents & became a university mascot.
XjW6 TIL that “Nigerian Prince” style scams began in the 1980s via postal mail, with letters addressed to women’s husbands asking what to do with multi-million dollar investments hidden in Nigeria. The spread of email lowered the costs and increased the effectiveness of these scams.
wLjZJ TIL that The Animals recorded The House of the Rising Sun in one take for £34 after loading their equipment on a stolen British railway wagon and pushing it through the West End of London to get to the studio on their day off
R7NRQ TIL in 2008, the Netherlands voted "Swaffelen" as their word of the year. It means to repeatedly smack one's (usually either flaccid or semi-erect) penis against someone or something.
848 TIL that Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Sean Penn, Chris Penn, Chad Lowe and Rob Lowe all went to high school together and made short films together.