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Straight facts. Answers to questions you never knew you had.
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How can some birds navigate using a built-in compass they can actually see?
TLDR: Birds have a protein in their eyes that, when struck by light, creates a quantum effect sensitive to the Earth's magnetic field. This generates a visual pattern or filter over their normal sight, allowing them to literally see the magnetic field and use it as a compass for navigation.
Why does your heart sometimes feel like it suddenly skips a beat?
That skipped beat you feel is not a missed beat, but an extra, early one. It is followed by a brief pause and then a stronger, more noticeable beat as your heart resets its rhythm. This is usually harmless and often caused by stress, caffeine, or lack of sleep. See a doctor if it happens frequently or comes with dizziness or chest pain.
Why is a narwhal's spiral tusk actually a giant inside-out sensory tooth?
The narwhal's tusk is an inside-out tooth with exposed nerve endings, acting as a sensory organ. It detects changes in water pressure, temperature, and saltiness to help the narwhal find food and navigate.
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Why does some jewelry leave a green stain on your skin while other jewelry does not?
TLDR: The green stain is a harmless chemical reaction, not an allergy. Copper in the jewelry reacts with the acids in your sweat and lotions, causing it to oxidize and leave a green film on your skin. Jewelry made of non-reactive metals like platinum, titanium, or high-karat gold won't stain because they contain little to no copper.
How can some bees create honey entirely out of rotting flesh instead of nectar?
TLDR: Vulture bees have a specialized gut microbiome, similar to hyenas, that allows them to safely eat and digest rotting flesh. They then process these meat secretions into a sweet, honey-like substance which they store in their hive instead of using nectar from flowers.
How do honeybees describe a map to each other just by dancing?
TLDR: Honeybees perform a waggle dance to share directions. The angle of the dance tells other bees the direction to fly in relation to the sun, and the duration of the waggle tells them how far away the food is.
What is the small hole in a plastic lollipop stick actually for?
TLDR: The hole anchors the candy to the stick so it doesn't fall off and also acts as a safety feature to prevent choking if the stick is swallowed.