haven’t seen a thread for fun facts, so I’m making one. Did you know that you can ask FBI if they have a file on you?
“An FBI file is a record of information pertaining to arrests, investigations, federal employment, naturalization, or military service. The FBI does not keep a file on everyone, but some people may have a file if they have been a victim in a case or an authorized third party has requested information about them. The FBI also has files of individuals, organizations, and businesses currently or previously under investigation. You can request your FBI file through either a Freedom of Information Act Request or a Privacy Act Request. If your request is denied, you can appeal that decision.”
In Gibraltar, the famous Barbary macaques have developed a fascinating—and slightly troubling—new habit: eating dirt. While geophagy (the consumption of soil) is not entirely unheard of in the animal kingdom, a recent study in Scientific Reports reveals that this behavior in the Gibraltar population is directly driven by human tourism.
As visitor numbers surge during the summer, so does the amount of highly processed, human-derived food the macaques consume.
From chips to baked goods, this unnatural diet disrupts the monkeys’ digestive systems and alters their gut microbiomes. To counteract the resulting gastrointestinal discomfort, the macaques have turned to the local red earth, known as terra rossa.
This specific soil acts as a natural digestive buffer, essentially serving as a wild antacid to soothe their upset stomachs and mitigate the negative effects of the junk food. What makes this finding particularly remarkable is the behavioral mechanism behind it.
Researchers noted that specific groups of macaques exhibit shared preferences for certain types of soil. This indicates that using earth to survive an unnatural diet is not merely an instinctual reflex, but a socially transmitted tradition learned by observing peers.
Ultimately, this study highlights the profound and often unseen ways human presence reshapes wildlife behavior. When we introduce artificial elements into an ecosystem, resident species are forced to innovate, leading to entirely new, human-induced survival strategies.
Journal Source: Frater, J., Nicourt, M., Landi, F. et al. Geophagy in Gibraltar Barbary macaques is a primate tradition anthropogenically induced. Sci Rep 16, 13139 (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-44607-0
