5 Comments TIL that in the Amazon basin, locals catch a species of catfish. Not to eat, but to dry out and use as firewood. The fish is thus called the “Firewood Catfish”. by whatilearned January 14, 2022, 8:05 pm 7 Points Upvote Downvote
4 Comments TIL about the Tarim mummies, a series of mummies discovered in the Tarim Basin in present-day Xinjiang, China. According to Victor H. Mair’s team, the Caucasoid mummies, presumed Tocharians, were likely speakers of Indo-European languages, with the oldest mummy being 3800 years old. by whatilearned September 17, 2021, 9:35 am 12 Points Upvote Downvote
3 Comments TIL California is home to a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine tree that is over 5,060 years old, making it the oldest tree ever dated. by whatilearned July 22, 2021, 7:17 am 12 Points Upvote Downvote
2 Comments TIL 3 of the top 25 deserts are entirely in the U.S. (Great Basin #10, Colorado Plateau #13, Mojave #21), 2 are shared with Mexico (Chihuahuan # 11, Sonoran #14) AND that the 2 biggest deserts are the Antarctic #1, the Arctic #2. by whatilearned July 21, 2021, 12:45 pm 12 Points Upvote Downvote
2 Comments TIL: Nevada’s mountains used to be covered in forests and housed Mega-llamas! During the Paleocene Era, The Great Basin was alive and flourishing with life. by whatilearned July 18, 2021, 3:28 am 12 Points Upvote Downvote
3 Comments TIL of the forgotten Winchester 1873, which was found in the Great Basin national park in 2014. No one has been able to trace it back to an owner and there is no clear reason why it was abandoned. It remained undiscovered for over 130 years. by whatilearned April 18, 2021, 1:11 pm 12 Points Upvote Downvote
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