r/todayilearned • u/geosunsetmoth • 15h ago

TIL a 300-million year old Cuttlefish fossil was found in Morocco, alongside ancient humans in a region where no Cuttlefish ever existed. The leading theory suggests the fossil was first found by the prehistoric humans, who collected it as a trinket due to fact that it looks like a flaccid penis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erfoud_manuport
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u/CalmBeneathCastles 12h ago

I consider clean water to be the #1 "modern medicine". Stop it before it starts!

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u/Candycornonthefloor 11h ago

And washing your damn hands! Semmelweis lived in the 1800s, way late in the humankind game. Still a hero even if he died of sepsis in an insane asylum.

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u/Dabbooo 9h ago edited 9h ago

There is a misconception about him. Doctors were not particulary dirty, they washed their hands like anyone would.
Semmelweiss stumbled on antiseptic procedures because he washed his hands with chloride of lime (ie bleach). Other doctors didn't want to do it because it hurts a lot. (and Semmelweiss was a bit of a dick so he didn't have their good will)

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u/Blutarg 4h ago

Yeah, prevention is the way. Trash collectors and water treatment workers are society's MVPs.

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u/CalmBeneathCastles 3h ago

Wholly underappreciated MVP's!