Mental Floss

BIG QUESTIONS

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The earthquake-triggered waves are both destructive and unpredictable.

House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving and Donald Trump arrive for a meeting with the House Republican conference.

Both the House and the Senate have their own Sergeant at Arms, and their visibility is highest during the State of the Union address. But what do they do the other 364 days of the year?

Laplandish, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

It's surprisingly easy—though it sometimes necessitates an ice pick.

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We turn to a 3000-year-old corpse for answers.

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The reason behind the limited color choice is simple.

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And when did Uga start showing up on the sidelines?

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We get to the core of the issue.

He has garnered plenty of controversy over the past few years, but how did he enter the mainstream?

By AilieHM - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

He's just one of a handful of brown giant pandas in the world. Researchers want to know why.

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It sounds like nonsense … but is it?

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It's a lot less scary than it feels.

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One of the most delicious parts of the bird was once banned from import to the Pacific Islands. We investigate.

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The tradition comes from Europe, and is thousands of years older than Thanksgiving.

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It’s a matter of language.

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It might be the most polarizing leaf in the culinary world.

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Also considered: Polar Bears.

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News you can use this holiday season.

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Clothing retailers aren’t ripping you off.

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Short answer: It's what dogs do.