Category: Weird Traits
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Platypuses have a glowing secret—their fur shines under UV light! In 2020, researchers at Northland College in Wisconsin discovered that platypus fur exhibits biofluorescence, glowing a soft greenish-blue when exposed to ultraviolet light. This trait was first noticed in museum specimens and later confirmed in live platypuses in Australia. It’s a rare feature for mammals,…
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Male platypuses have a hidden weapon—venomous spurs on their hind legs! These spurs, located on the inner ankles, are about half an inch long and made of keratin, the same material as your fingernails. They’re connected to venom glands that produce a clear, sticky venom with over a dozen unique proteins. While it’s not lethal…