ships

Once the fastest ocean liner in the world, a German torpedo sent the ship to the bottom of the sea.

The sinking of the 'Titanic' shook the world—and forced better maritime laws to be put into place.

The sinking of the RMS 'Titanic' shook the world—and forced better safety regulations to be put into place.

Titanic sinking on the cover of Showman's Guide for the Rank Organisation film ' A Night to Remember ' with Kenneth More.

Over 100 years after 'Titanic' sank, the origins and true meaning of “women and children first” remain a source of confusion.

Violet Jessop volunteered as a nurse in World War I after surviving the Titanic sinking.

Surviving the 'Titanic' was not Jessop’s first escape from a maritime disaster—nor would it be her last.

RMS 'Olympic,' one of the 'Titanic's' sister ships

The stories of the 'Olympic' and 'Britannic' were overshadowed by their middle sister’s legend.

We look back at the people, events, and twists of fate that set the Titanic’s incredible story in motion—and the legacy we still honor today.

A 'Titanic' memorial in Washington, D.C.

The most famous maritime disaster of all time is commemorated with plaques and memorials around the world.

Who built the Titanic? How big was it? How many people were onboard? How many people survived? Your biggest Titanic Qs—answers.

Seven-year-old Eva Hart's signature from a letter written on the Titanic's maiden voyage

In her later years, Eva Hart had the distinction of being the last living 'Titanic' survivor with first-hand memories of the disaster.

Cat standing in front of ship's porthole window.

Jenny the ship cat likely didn't make it off 'Titanic' alive, but according to one legend, she anticipated the disaster and saved the life of a crew member.

‘Titanic’ survivors in a lifeboat row toward rescue after the ocean liner sank in 1912.

Millvina Dean, the youngest passenger aboard the 'Titanic' on its maiden voyage, was only 9 weeks old when the ocean liner hit an iceberg and sank in 1912.

The 'Titanic' has been the subject of a number of myths.

Take a look at some of the more enduring misconceptions surrounding history's most famous vessel.

Though Titanic was plagued with production problems, James Cameron's epic disaster/romance went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of all time.

Explorer Ferdinand Magellan didn't quite get all the way around the globe.

Throughout history, sea travel has provided a watery road to modern globalism. Here are 11 incredible sea voyages that advanced our understanding of the world.

The still-intact wheel of Shackleton's ill-fated vessel.

Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated ‘Endurance’ sunk 107 years ago near Antarctica, kicking off one of the most thrilling survival stories of all time.

The Sultana, the day before it exploded.

For centuries, boats have been blowing up with amazing spectacle and horrible tragedy. Here are five ship explosions just as worthy of a three-hour dramatization as the RMS 'Titanic.'

A 1912 illustration of the Titanic sinking by Willy Stöwer.

As anyone who’s seen the movie ‘Titanic’ already knows, the ship didn’t sink immediately. So how long was the process?

Most shipwrecks can usually be blamed on weather, currents, or mechanical failures. For others, the Bermuda Triangle could be the culprit.

Watercolor drawing of the leg of a patient, age 50, who had scurvy for 12 months' standing.

Scurvy’s mysterious cause wasn’t identified until the 20th century. Here are a few facts from the disease's long and miserable history.

Polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 voyage to Antarctica was an epic failure, but he returned a hero.

The story of the S.S. Ourang Medan is one of the strangest to emerge from the sea.

A tale involving a cargo ship begging for help and its crew being found dead of unknown causes in the 1940s has become an urban legend. But there might be some truth to this ghost ship lurking underneath the water.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet at the Oscars in 2016.

“All I get now are phone calls all day from people asking me how I feel about Leonardo DiCaprio.” —97-year-old Titanic survivor Millvina Dean.

This iceberg replica is innocent—the toppled wall is inside the museum.

Near, far, wherever you are, an iceberg is plotting revenge after years of being the butt of all your Titanic-themed jokes.

The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images

In this rare clip from 1970, three Titanic survivors tell their stories from that fateful night in April 1912.

12 Facts About the R.M.S. 'Lusitania'

4 Ways the ‘Titanic' Changed Maritime Safety

Women and Children First: How a Rarely-Used Maritime Practice Caused Confusion On Board the 'Titanic'

7 Facts About ‘Titanic’ Survivor Violet Jessop

The Surprising Fates of the 'Titanic's' Sister Ships

Mental Floss Presents: Titanic Timeline

14 Moving Monuments and Memorials to the 'Titanic'

15 Questions About the RMS 'Titanic,' Answered

6 Facts About 'Titanic' Survivor Eva Hart, One of the Last to Remember the Disaster

The Legend of Jenny, the 'Titanic' Cat Said to Have Predicted the Ship's Fate

5 Fast Facts About Millvina Dean, the Last ‘Titanic’ Survivor

8 Twisted 'Titanic' Myths, Debunked

10 Unsinkable Facts About 'Titanic'

11 of History’s Most Famous Sea Voyages

Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 'Endurance' Shipwreck Has Been Found After More Than a Century

5 Deadly, Explosive Ship Disasters From U.S. History

How Long Did It Take for the Titanic to Sink?

10 Mysterious Incidents at the Bermuda Triangle

11 Facts About Scurvy

11 Facts About Sir Ernest Shackleton

'I Die': The Bizarre Tale of the S.S. Ourang Medan

When the Stars of Titanic Helped Pay the Bills for the Last Titanic Survivor

The Iceberg Cometh: A Titanic Museum’s Iceberg Wall Just Toppled in Tennessee

Watch Titanic Survivors Tell Their Stories in This Rare Video