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Sinking in Shark-Infested Waters: WWII Survivors Recall Navy Disaster | National Geographic

Watch USS ‘Indianapolis’ Vets Recall Surviving Shark-Infested Waters

The worst shark attack in history followed the bombing and sinking of the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945.

Wildlife Tunnels in Vermont Cut Amphibian Deaths By 80 Percent, Study Finds

Wildlife tunnels save lives: One study found that amphibian roadkill dropped by 80 percent thanks to the structures.

C. elegans nematodes in their squiggly, non-towering mode.

Nematodes Form “Living Towers of Worms” to Move as One

The microscopic worms are one of only a few species known to assemble into “superorganisms” that act and move collectively.

The 10 U.S. Cities With the Most Diverse Food Scenes

Hungry for international flavors? See which U.S. cities earned top marks in restaurant diversity, according to The Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #41

The riddle below dates back to the mid-1800s—can you figure it out?

Make sure you know how to properly fly your flag.

What Is Flag Day?

Ingloriously crammed between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, Flag Day tends to get overlooked. Here’s a brief history of the patriotic day.

13 Fun Slang Terms We Got From ‘Jaws’

Steven Spielberg’s ‘Jaws’ isn’t just an enduring summer classic—it also includes plenty of fun slang terms that’ll make you feel like its Shark Week all year long.

22 Things You Might Not Know About the Stanley Cup

Who is this Lord Stanley anyway? Find out more about the history and strange mishaps surrounding the NHL’s Stanley Cup.

Ginger ale is a go-to for a lot of people when they start feeling green.

Should You Drink Ginger Ale for an Upset Stomach?

Ginger is a proven anti-nausea remedy. But ginger ale (or any soda, really) probably won’t do you much good.

8 Stolen—Then Recovered—Pieces of Art

In this episode of The List Show, Mental Floss editor-in-chief Erin McCarthy is covering works of art that went missing but were thankfully recovered—in the case of a couple of paintings, twice.

A mural titled ‘The Security of the People’ by Seymour Fogel, illustrating the values and programs put forth by the New Deal.

10 New Deal Programs We Now Take For Granted

Nearly 100 years after the Great Depression, Americans are still benefiting from New Deal programs—and their protections and entitlements have become such a part of the social fabric that we often take them for granted. Here are just a few.

Each State’s Most Popular Baby Names, Mapped

See which names your state's new parents chose most often in 2024.

When People Thought Paul From ‘The Wonder Years’ Grew Up to Be Marilyn Manson

Kids in the ’90s swore geeky Paul became shock rocker Marilyn Manson. Did he?

The 20 Best Spots to Watch the Sunset in the U.S.

From Yellowstone‘s Calcite Springs and Hawaii‘s Kilauea, these are the best places to be at dusk.

Definition Detective Quiz #40

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

Why is North Always At the Top on a Map?

Magnetic north is shifting towards Siberia, but that doesn't quite explain why maps put north at the top.

Jayne Mansfield on the set of ‘The Girl Can’t Help It.’

19 Fascinating Facts About Jayne Mansfield

The bottle-blonde bombshell studied five languages, played the violin and the piano, and reportedly had an IQ in the 160s. Here’s what else you need to know about actress Jayne Mansfield.

The Official Languages Found in the Most Countries of the World, Mapped

English came out on top by a large margin.

These guide dogs were the difference between life and death.

10 Very Good Service Dogs Who Saved Their Owners’ Lives

From guiding their owners to safety during 9/11 to dialing 911 during medical emergencies, these pups took their lifesaving duties to a whole other level.

A night at the museum is closer than you may think.

9 Museums Where You Can Spend the Night

If you ever dreamed of being Ben Stiller in “Night at the Museum”, we’ve got the next best thing.

NASA Wants Your Help Documenting Rare ‘Space Clouds’

Rare noctilucent clouds are showing up in places they never used to, and scientists are trying to find out why.

Steven Spielberg took some poetic license in his shark-centric summer blockbuster.

Science vs. Hollywood: Shark Experts Separate ‘Jaws’ Fact from Fiction

In the summer of 1975, movie audiences learned all they ever wanted to know about bloodthirsty sharks from ‘Jaws.’ We asked shark scientists to set the record straight on Hollywood’s prodigious predator.

Astronauts have left a lot more than footprints on the moon.

7 Strange Things That Have Been Left On the Moon

Golf balls, a word from the queen, and an X-rated drawing by Andy Warhol are just some of the items left behind by astronauts.

See if you can decipher this twisted tune.

Tune Twist Quiz #44

It’s time to play Tune Twist, where we translate the lyrics of popular songs into multiple languages and then back into English. Can you figure out what the song is, or who performed it?