Mental Floss

WATER

Courtesy of and © Denver Botanic Gardens

These aquatic champions display incredible strength.

Multnomah Falls in autumn.

From a Yosemite icon to a Grand Canyon hidden gem, there are epic waterfall hikes to be found across the country.

Swimming pools can really shake a person’s faith in humanity.

Your community pool more than likely doubles as a community urinal.

This unsupervised child is getting a taste of long-term neurological damage.

Tempting though it may be, sipping from a hose is inviting a whole lot of health problems.

A vehicle makes its way through flooded streets during a recent storm.

With flooding on the rise across the U.S., understanding what’s in the water is critical to protecting yourself and your loved ones.

Not something that the Property Brothers would want to see.

When it comes to removing water stains from your ceiling, there are a few important things to identify, like what’s causing water to seep through in the first place.

We hope he checked the water quality.

Swimming in lakes (or any wild water) has its risks. When in doubt, check local advisories and trust your senses. And if the water looks or smells off, you might have better luck sticking to land.

The Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre is like something out of a dream.

Australia’s largest salt lake, Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is currently a rare and stunning waterscape.

Axolotls are cute and important to the environment.

Scientists in Mexico have found that axolotls bred in captivity can survive and thrive in their native habitat—which is great news for the species.

If you didn't know they had them before, now you do.

Bottled water might seem like it lasts forever, but containers have expiration dates attached. Discover why and whether it’s safe to drink after it’s expired.

India‘s Thar Desert is looking a little greener than this nowadays.

Thanks to increased accessibility to water and energy, the Thar Desert is now the most populated desert on Earth.

They look like they‘re made of glass.

Learn what these creatures are, why they appear, and if they’re safe to touch.

There are many factors to consider when it comes to choosing a wash routine that‘s best for you.

Find out how factors like age, hair type, and lifestyle influence your ideal shampoo routine.

Damaged mirrors can certainly make one distraught.

Those unsightly black marks even have a name: mirror rot.

The UK is stricter about its bottled water than the U.S., as it were.

Dasani bottled water was poised to take the UK market by storm, but shortly after it was released in 2004, Coca-Cola yanked it off shelves. Discover the real reasons why here.

Time to get pampered.

One Maine lobster fisherman goes the extra mile by taking care of the protected crustaceans he catches before returning them to the water.

Marine mystery of octopus riding shark

A Maori octopus was spotted clinging to a shortfin mako shark, leaving scientists puzzled.

Here‘s how to keep your kicks looking fresh.

Bring your white shoes back to life with these steps.

Many alligators were found in Alachua County‘s sewage system.

Alligators living in the sewers isn’t just an urban legend.

How do these guys do it?

The funnel they use to get around serves a dual purpose.

Astronauts face lots of challenges, including what to do with dirty underwear.

Tossing stinky socks in a washer isn’t really an option once you leave Earth.

Some mushroom coral species can move.

Witness a mushroom coral on the move.

This isn't Australia's first tussle with mystery beach blobs. A similar incident happened in 2024.

The tiny little tar blobs could be nothing—or they could be dangerous.

They don't have an unlimited shelf life.

When is it time to bid farewell to your trusty water bottle? Here's what to look for, plus why it’s such a big problem in the first place.