A list of curious facts

One: Ebisu may be the first known copycat in the world. She had been trained to imitate her human—a ‘do as I do’ ability until now known only in dolphins, parrots, apes, and killer whales. According to researchers, Ebisu could also “spin, stand up on the hind legs, touch a wobbling toy with a paw, open a little plastic drawer, bite a rubber string and lay down”! (research paper here) A brief demonstration below:

Two: Here’s a cool vid that shows you how folks create those crazy TikTok transitions.

Three: This is a 3-D reconstruction of an Egyptian toddler who was mummified during the first century A.D. Smithsonian has the story.

Four: A seriously cool and comprehensive archive of Indian bird songs. (h/t founding member Pooja Pillai)

Five: This seriously demented ‘horned helmet’ was gifted by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I to King Henry VIII in 1514. Here’s everything you ever need to know about it, courtesy Atlas Obscura.