The Teloschistaceae are a family of mostly lichen-forming fungi with a
cosmopolitan distribution, mostly in temperate regions. Most either live
on rock or on bark, and many are orange to yellow from anthraquinone
which protects them from ultraviolet light, enabling expansion into arid
and sunny ecosystems. They have a thallus that is leafy, bushy, or
crusty, and partner with photosynthetic Trebouxia algae. A 2013 revision
recognised three subfamilies and created or resurrected 31 more genera.
Since then, many new genera have been added and DNA studies are giving
insights into relationships within this family's more than 800 species
and around 120 genera. It remains underexplored in vast regions like
South America and China. Several rock-dwelling species are known to
damage marble surfaces, and others are used in some traditional
medicines. One member, Rusavskia elegans, is used in research as a model
organism to investigate resilience against the harsh conditions of outer
space.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teloschistaceae>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1903:
A blockade against Venezuela (depicted), caused by President
Cipriano Castro's refusal to pay foreign debts, is lifted.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuelan_crisis_of_1902%E2%80%931903>
1942:
World War II: U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt signed
Executive Order 9066, authorizing the forcible relocation of over
112,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_9066>
1948:
The Southeast Asian Youth Conference, which is believed to have
inspired armed communist rebellions in different Asian countries, opened
in Calcutta, India.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conference_of_Youth_and_Students_of_Southeast_Asia_Fighting_for_Freedom_and_Independence>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
cater-cousin:
1. A person who, while not being a blood relation, is regarded as close
enough to be called a cousin; a (very) close or good friend; a bosom
friend.
2. (figurative) A thing which is closely associated with or related to
another thing.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cater-cousin>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Then the rainstorm came over me And I felt my spirit break I
had lost all of my belief, you see And realized my mistake But time
threw a prayer to me And all around me became still I need love,
love's divine Please forgive me, now I see that I've been blind Give
me love, love is what I need to help me know my name.
--Seal
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Seal_%28musician%29>
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