12 Farm-Fresh Trivia Tidbits for Thursday, February 20, 2025
A single, microscopic aberration in an ancient human's gene protein may account for the existence of language.
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The Annual German Deer-Calling Competition
The centuries-old tradition of dressing up like a dork and fellating various objects to sexually arouse a deer is held every year in Dortmund, Germany, where competitors make horny mooing sounds with traditional instruments like ox horns and giant hogweed stems. Fabian Menzel has defended his title again this year.
Human-Mussel Hybrids Excrete an Extremely Sticky Goo
Scientists have developed a waterproof, bacteria-proof adhesive by combining proteins from a human body with synthetic polymers designed to mimic those splooged out by mussels.
A Woman Says Her Etsy Psychic Drew a Picture of Her Soulmate
A woman hired a psychic medium she found on Etsy to draw a picture of her soulmate, and wouldn’t you know it, a few months later she saw that exact man on a social media post and married him as fast as humanly possible.
Bacteria Mine the Iron in Your Blood
Scientists have mapped out the process in which the bacteria that causes staph infections pulls iron from your blood’s hemoglobin. Understanding this process is a great starting point for battling superbugs.
The First Food Truck Predates the Truck
Charles Goodnight is officially recognized as the first person to drive a food truck. He outfitted a U.S. Army horse-drawn wagon into a mobile kitchen, and carried beans, meat and coffee to cowboys out in the Plains.
Satellites Think Minnesota Is a Cloud
It’s so cold in the Midwest, cloud-detecting satellites have identified huge swaths of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota as just one big freaking cloud.
The World’s Smallest Sled Dog
An 18-pound Dachshund mix named Muppy competed in multiple events at a Wisconsin dogsled race, making her most likely the smallest competitive sled dog in the world.
Women Are More Generous Than Men — When in the Position of Dictator
A team of psychologists and economists developed something called the Dictator Game, a psychological experiment to determine if and to what extent people act in their own self-interest. They found that women are much more likely to be generous when given the opportunity, while men are much more likely to be selfish.
How Much Would You Pay to Read George Washington’s Mail?
A handwritten letter from Washington during a crucial point of the Revolutionary War is up for auction, and expected to go for about $150,000.
The Oldest Known Non-Captive Bird on the Planet
A 74-year-old Laysan albatross named Wisdom is most likely the oldest wild bird in the world. She returns to Hawaii every year to reunite with her mate and lay an egg (if she’s got one in her). She’s produced about 60 eggs and 30 offspring, and was recently caught on video feeding and preening her most recent baby.
A Single Gene May Account for Complex Human Language — And Dirty Talk
NOVA1 is one of very few genes that are nearly identical in most mammals, with the notable exception of humans. Recent studies of the gene in mice have found that mice born without it tend to die shortly after birth, while mice born with a specific mutation are capable of more complex chirps and squeaks, particularly while mating. It’s thought that a mutation in this gene is responsible for modern humans’ unique gift for complex language.
The Thames River Was a Ritualistic Burial Site As Far Back As the Bronze Age
Researchers took a look at ancient bodies dredged up from the depths of the Thames River, and have calculated that it’s served as a watery grave for at least 6,000 years.
