It's not weird for some species to incorporate toxins from their diet as defenses: poison dart frogs, monarch butterflies, sea slugs, etc
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It's not weird for some species to incorporate toxins from their diet as defenses: poison dart frogs, monarch butterflies, sea slugs, etc
But let's get weird and circuitous with it
#Nicotine was developed by plants to kill insects. As a quirk of #neurochemistry, humans use it addictively, so cigarette butts are everywhere
Birds have figured out they can use them in their nests to repel insect parasites
The original intention of nicotine
Weird!
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you know what?
you're right
i removed the nytimes link and replaced it with the linked study from poland
nytimes link pasted here instead in the comments for posterity:
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R relay@relay.an.exchange shared this topic
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It's not weird for some species to incorporate toxins from their diet as defenses: poison dart frogs, monarch butterflies, sea slugs, etc
But let's get weird and circuitous with it
#Nicotine was developed by plants to kill insects. As a quirk of #neurochemistry, humans use it addictively, so cigarette butts are everywhere
Birds have figured out they can use them in their nests to repel insect parasites
The original intention of nicotine
Weird!
@benroyce Lookit, we eat absolutely weird stuff, plenty of it extremely unpleasant until several elaborate transformations (looking at you, olives). That birds have figured out how to harness poisons to their advantage isnโt a surprise.
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@benroyce Lookit, we eat absolutely weird stuff, plenty of it extremely unpleasant until several elaborate transformations (looking at you, olives). That birds have figured out how to harness poisons to their advantage isnโt a surprise.
if we anthropomorphized plants they would be flabbergasted by humans
plants developed capsaicin to set the mouths of mammals eating it on fire as punishment
it seems like a foolproof devastating repellant. the plant must be proud
but no
one mammal, humans, *like* the mouth fire
crazier, this was not detrimental to the plant, but rewarding. humans began cultivating it. even *increasing* the burn
you poison us. you cause us pain
we love you for it. and ask for more
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It's not weird for some species to incorporate toxins from their diet as defenses: poison dart frogs, monarch butterflies, sea slugs, etc
But let's get weird and circuitous with it
#Nicotine was developed by plants to kill insects. As a quirk of #neurochemistry, humans use it addictively, so cigarette butts are everywhere
Birds have figured out they can use them in their nests to repel insect parasites
The original intention of nicotine
Weird!
Alternately, cigarette butts are so disgusting they can actually repel insects.
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Alternately, cigarette butts are so disgusting they can actually repel insects.
insects: "you like... poison? *burning* poison?"
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if we anthropomorphized plants they would be flabbergasted by humans
plants developed capsaicin to set the mouths of mammals eating it on fire as punishment
it seems like a foolproof devastating repellant. the plant must be proud
but no
one mammal, humans, *like* the mouth fire
crazier, this was not detrimental to the plant, but rewarding. humans began cultivating it. even *increasing* the burn
you poison us. you cause us pain
we love you for it. and ask for more
@benroyce Mostly. Then thereโs cactus. And the plants with urushiol. There are some we can work with, but theyโre metal af.
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@benroyce Mostly. Then thereโs cactus. And the plants with urushiol. There are some we can work with, but theyโre metal af.
well we looked at cactus with its hardcore intent to cause pain and said
"pretty"
but you're right about poison ivy, fuck that plant

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well we looked at cactus with its hardcore intent to cause pain and said
"pretty"
but you're right about poison ivy, fuck that plant

@benroyce Poison oak is the feisty bitch here. Loves to grow right in along with the blackberries.
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@benroyce Poison oak is the feisty bitch here. Loves to grow right in along with the blackberries.
Can't live with it. Can't set it on fire.
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Can't live with it. Can't set it on fire.
it hates us. can't blame it for that. but we can hate it back!
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Can't live with it. Can't set it on fire.
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It's not weird for some species to incorporate toxins from their diet as defenses: poison dart frogs, monarch butterflies, sea slugs, etc
But let's get weird and circuitous with it
#Nicotine was developed by plants to kill insects. As a quirk of #neurochemistry, humans use it addictively, so cigarette butts are everywhere
Birds have figured out they can use them in their nests to repel insect parasites
The original intention of nicotine
Weird!
@benroyce this stuff always has fascinated me! Also extra tidbitโฆ did you know that hedgehogs ๐ฆ have learned this too!!! They will take cigarettes, chew them up a bit, then spread their nicotine filled saliva over their bodies

(They also do this with creosote) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00zd354And donโt forget about the crows that bathe in formic acid from spitting ants!

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@benroyce Poison oak is the feisty bitch here. Loves to grow right in along with the blackberries.
@wendinoakland @benroyce
Almost no poison oak in the hills and streams is on my top five for moving to western Washington from the Bay Area. -
It's not weird for some species to incorporate toxins from their diet as defenses: poison dart frogs, monarch butterflies, sea slugs, etc
But let's get weird and circuitous with it
#Nicotine was developed by plants to kill insects. As a quirk of #neurochemistry, humans use it addictively, so cigarette butts are everywhere
Birds have figured out they can use them in their nests to repel insect parasites
The original intention of nicotine
Weird!
@benroyce Look at nature continuing to teach humans the right way to live.
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It's not weird for some species to incorporate toxins from their diet as defenses: poison dart frogs, monarch butterflies, sea slugs, etc
But let's get weird and circuitous with it
#Nicotine was developed by plants to kill insects. As a quirk of #neurochemistry, humans use it addictively, so cigarette butts are everywhere
Birds have figured out they can use them in their nests to repel insect parasites
The original intention of nicotine
Weird!
@benroyce will it work on politicians?
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@benroyce will it work on politicians?
unfortunately MAGA likes nicotine chews. so you might attract them
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unfortunately MAGA likes nicotine chews. so you might attract them
@benroyce so you can attract Trump supporters with poison. No wonder the country is fucked.
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It's not weird for some species to incorporate toxins from their diet as defenses: poison dart frogs, monarch butterflies, sea slugs, etc
But let's get weird and circuitous with it
#Nicotine was developed by plants to kill insects. As a quirk of #neurochemistry, humans use it addictively, so cigarette butts are everywhere
Birds have figured out they can use them in their nests to repel insect parasites
The original intention of nicotine
Weird!
@benroyce I first read: poison dog farts



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@benroyce I first read: poison dog farts



poison dart frogs aren't real. they are a dungeons and dragons monster. if you touch one you get hit with the magic spell "poison dog fart" for 2d12 damage
