If there's one thing we've learned over the years, it's that people love to share a weird fact. In the last week, people over on Reddit have specifically been sharing facts that make people say "why do you know that?"
Below are a few of our favorites from science and nature. As usual, we'll jump in if anything needs elaborating or clarifying.
Yep, this is true. In 2018, scientists gave MDMA to octopuses to find this out. After a dose, the octopuses became more social, as well as more interested in their surroundings. Though not quite a "hug", they did spend a lot more time touching the other octopuses than usual.
While we wouldn't call it "admiring" – we do not yet know the dolphin word for "nice" – it is true that when placed in front of a mirror, dolphins have exhibited "behaviors such as repetitious head circling and close viewing of the eye or genital region reflected in the mirror".
This is almost true. 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) "appears to target relatively specifically those neurons that are involved in Parkinson's disease," according to a paper published in Basic Neurochemistry.
While not Parkinson's as we know it, "users rapidly developed a movement disorder that closely resembles Parkinson's disease".
This is true. Also, the UK government planned on dropping anthrax cakes on Germany.
While we can't find much evidence behind this one, there is evidence for another method of "turning off" your gag reflex.
Amazingly, the chemical signal that lactating mice give off to warn away male mice is the same chemical that gives bananas their smell, with the strange consequence that male mice are scared of the smell of bananas.
Yep, and this has led to a loooooot more feet than usual washing up on the shores of the US and Canada.
Aaaaand finally...
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Check out the rest over on the Reddit thread. You will not regret it. Or maybe you will.