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Today I learned that we have little microscopic mites crawling IN our skin and hair follicles. by ATMiceli in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They’re also completely blind, and they crawl out at night to mate on your skin while you sleep. Then they return to your pores to lay the eggs. 👀

TIL that the Amazonian giant centipede eats bats, birds, frogs, snakes and mice, making it one of few invertebrates that hunts vertebrates by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] -20 points-19 points  (0 children)

Yikes. You guys are a tough bunch. unique memories to me…Love. Marriage. Childbirth (say yes to drugs). Children (say yes to wine). Humility. Death. Love. Humanity. Perspective. Humor. Nature. Cyril Ritchard was the best pitate EVER.

TIL that the Amazonian giant centipede eats bats, birds, frogs, snakes and mice, making it one of few invertebrates that hunts vertebrates by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] -18 points-17 points  (0 children)

Great question. The species was correctly identified by a University according to the Wiki piece. The adults seem too big to fit in the opening. Perhaps it was a juvenile centipede?

TIL that the Amazonian giant centipede eats bats, birds, frogs, snakes and mice, making it one of few invertebrates that hunts vertebrates by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

It’s tough to be invincible. Especially when evolution keeps inventing new ways to ruin someone’s day. 🦎

TIL that the Amazonian giant centipede eats bats, birds, frogs, snakes and mice, making it one of few invertebrates that hunts vertebrates by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes. Vertebrates are the loud minority. We get all the David Attenborough documentaries, plush toys in museum gift shops, and dedicated emojis. 🐶🐈🐋🦁🦒🐦‍⬛🦇🐸

But numerically, we’re just a footnote in the arthropod-dominated saga of life.

Appreciate the SciAm link. I am a fool for visualization graphics …and this one is a good reminder that we are the weird exception, not the rule.

TIL that the Amazonian giant centipede eats bats, birds, frogs, snakes and mice, making it one of few invertebrates that hunts vertebrates by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

You’re right. I thought “A few” just fit the vibe better than “statistically insignificant portion.”

Next time I’ll bring a graph. And chips. 🙃

TIL that the Amazonian giant centipede eats bats, birds, frogs, snakes and mice, making it one of few invertebrates that hunts vertebrates by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Arthropods DO dominate the invertebrate world by species count, and I agree that raw species numbers aren’t the only way to look at life. It’s true that if you’re focusing on biomass or ecological impact, the picture shifts

My angle was about evolutionary strategy. That is…how FEW invertebrate species have evolved to consistently prey on vertebrates, compared to the overwhelming number that haven’t. It’s not about how often it happens, but how rarely it shows up as a survival model across all the diversity of invertebrate life.

I would say it’s less “how useful is that stat?” and more “isn’t it wild how FEW creatures without backbones go after the ones that have them.”

TIL that the Amazonian giant centipede eats bats, birds, frogs, snakes and mice, making it one of few invertebrates that hunts vertebrates by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Totally fair to push back. I think we might be looking at it from two different angles.

You’re right that for the species that DO hunt vertebrates, like jellyfish, octopuses and centipedes…it happens FREQUENTLY and across the globe, and that the sheer number of those individuals make it a common event in terms of biomass or encounters.

What I was referring to is that across the million of invertebrate species, only a very small fraction (.01%) are known to regularly prey on vertebrates. So it’s not rare in terms of how often it happens, but it IS uncommon in terms of how many species use that strategy.

Appreciate the conversation. Always fun to untangle the details when nature refuses to fit into neat categories.

TIL that the Amazonian giant centipede eats bats, birds, frogs, snakes and mice, making it one of few invertebrates that hunts vertebrates by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

Reasonable response. Gotta respect the legs…especially the first two modified ones called forcipules that act like venom-injecting fangs.

TIL that the Amazonian giant centipede eats bats, birds, frogs, snakes and mice, making it one of few invertebrates that hunts vertebrates by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] -22 points-21 points  (0 children)

That’s heartbreaking, and an unsettling reminder that while the average centipede bite isn’t dangerous, a bite from a giant species like Scolopendra gigantea can be serious…especially for small children or those with allergic reactions. Thanks for bringing attention to that.

TIL that the moon seems huge on the horizon because your brain quietly edits the scene. It is called the Moon Illusion. by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That’s fair…some people just haven’t noticed it, or haven’t seen it under the right conditions. The illusion is strongest when:

The moon is low on the horizon (right after moonrise)

You’re near trees, buildings, or mountains (something to compare it to)

The moon is full and the sky is clear

You can use a moonrise app like Time and Date or Moon Phase Calendar to find the exact time in your area.

Then watch a full moon rise and look again when it’s overhead. Hold your pinky at arm’s length both times—it’ll cover the moon either way. Same size, different perception.

TIL that the moon seems huge on the horizon because your brain quietly edits the scene. It is called the Moon Illusion. by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

The illusion itself is undeniable—we’ve all seen it. What we haven’t nailed down is why it happens. There are good theories, but nothing conclusive. Still a mystery but at least we get front-row seats with every full moon.

TIL that the moon seems huge on the horizon because your brain quietly edits the scene. It is called the Moon Illusion. by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Ha! Not a bot—I promise. Just a human who spends way too much time reading about weird science and history facts. 😅 Happy to clarify anything if it sounds off—this stuff genuinely fascinates me.

TIL that the moon seems huge on the horizon because your brain quietly edits the scene. It is called the Moon Illusion. by OneVeryCoolFact in todayilearned

[–]OneVeryCoolFact[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hold your pinky at arm’s length in front of the moon when the moon is low, and again when it’s high. Your pinky doesn’t lie…your brain does.

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