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From Felix the Cat catching fire to the Great Balloon Massacre of 1997, here are the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade's most infamous moments.

If the Thanksgiving side dish involved mixing mayo and cranberries with gelatin, it should stay in the past. The same goes for pork cake.
Meg Van Huygen|
The fates of these sailors and ships remain lost to history.
Kat Long|
A list of abandoned towns across the U.S. that you can visit, if you dare.
Chelsea Thatcher|

Government and Politics

Do members of congress get paid during government shutdowns? And do they get free health insurance? Let’s get to the bottom of some common myths.
Ellen Gutoskey|
On November 5, people across Great Britain celebrate Guy Fawkes Night with bonfires and fireworks. But who was Guy Fawkes and why does he have a celebration named after him?
Claire Cock-Starkey|
From tragic factory fires to toxic food scandals, some safety laws we may take for granted today actually have some pretty unsettling backstories.
Colin Scanlon|
The WPA helped everyone from Jackson Pollock to Louise Nevelson.
Ellen Gutoskey|
These odd architectural features are remnants of a time when people had to pay if they wanted to look outside.
Tim Brinkhof|
The CIA's encrypted art sculpture has puzzled cryptographers for decades. The man with the answers is finally ready to clue them in.
Jake Rossen|
Fears of nuclear war led to a fleeting craze for fallout shelters stocked with crackers, body bags, and guns.
Jake Rossen|
Tens of thousands of fallout shelter signs, with three yellow triangles in a black circle, are visible on building façades today. They serve as grim reminders of the hottest flashes of the Cold War. So why are they still around?
Tim Brinkhof|

Presidents

Jefferson’s tale of an encounter with a stranger sparked a saying that became pretty popular in the 19th century.
Paul Anthony Jones|
This quiz challenges you to name all the U.S. presidents as fast as possible.
Ellen Gutoskey|
You’ll be happy these folks aren’t your relatives.
Shayna Murphy|

War

The date was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the end of World War I, which occurred at the 11th hour of 11th day of the 11th month.

Mystery

These great Agatha Christie adaptations test the audience to figure out the mystery.
Jenny Cohen|
What is the truth behind the historical figure’s death?
Chelsea Thatcher|
In 1981, 58-year-old Polly Melton went for a hike in a well-traveled national park. She never returned.
Jake Rossen|
In summer 1993, hundreds of people claimed to have found hypodermic needles inside cans of Pepsi. Was it a hoax, a disgruntled employee, or something worse?
Jake Rossen|

Misconceptions

There are a lot of myths and misunderstandings about menstruation. But it’s important to parse out what’s true and what’s a lie.
Kerry Wolfe|
Video games have been around for many decades—so it’s no surprise a number of myths and rumors have cropped up surrounding them.
Meredith Danko|
This particular time in history proved that all that glittered was certainly not gold.
Meredith Danko|
No one did it like The Bard, so it’s no surprise that some myths about him and his writing have seeped into our culture over time. Let’s debunk some of the biggest ones.
Meredith Danko|
The idea that older people need less sleep is just one common misconception.
mentalfloss .com|

Royalty

Even if you’re not a noble, earning one of their titles doesn’t always require a royal wedding.
Lucas Reilly|
Royals from Queen Victoria to Princess Diana have left their mark on the world of fashion.
Colin Scanlon|
It all began in 1952 when then-Princess Elizabeth was caught without a black outfit when the circumstances called for one.
Ellen Gutoskey|

Civil Rights

William Shatner’s lip lock with Nichelle Nichols wasn't TV’s first interracial kiss, but it might have been the most controversial.
hourglass in yellow

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