Mental Floss

OCEANS

You won’t see this big guy in a tank.

While they’re ubiquitous in pop culture, there’s one place where you won’t find great white sharks, and that’s behind glass.

An aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef near Queensland, Australia.

Australia’s biggest natural wonder is a huge draw for tourists and fish alike. Here’s everything you need to know about the world’s most famous reef.

The bow of the USS ‘Samuel B. Roberts,’ lying more than 4 miles under the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

These are the five deepest shipwrecks ever discovered, including the USS ‘Samuel B. Roberts,’ which went to the depths of the Philippine Trench during the Second World War.

So pretty, so misunderstood.

Both the Arctic and Antarctica are cold and icy, but that’s basically where the similarities end.

It’s an aural illusion.

The fact that all shells sound just a little bit like the ocean is purely coincidental.

The stingray it on the left, and the skate is to the right.

Skates lay black, ravioli-shaped egg cases. Rays give birth to live pups.

A diver is about a meter behind the coelacanth discovered at a depth of 144 meters in North Maluku, Indonesia.

Researchers in Indonesia have filmed a rare coelacanth nearly 500 feet underwater—marking the first time the fish has been recorded in its native environment.

The sea pig in all its squishy glory.

Researchers witness strange sea animals, including poisonous sea pigs and hand-sized sea spiders, while sailing to the Denman Glacier.

See the first colossal squid ever caught on camera

A baby colossal squid was filmed deep in the South Atlantic—revealing rare footage of the ocean’s heaviest invertebrate.

Titanic: The Digital Resurrection | Official Trailer | National Geographic

A digital double promises fresh insight into the tragedy of the ‘Titanic.’

Many gopher tortoises withstood the Category 4 hurricane and are now adapting to new land.

After Hurricane Helene devastated Florida’s coast, gopher tortoise populations unexpectedly surged in one area.

They look like they‘re made of glass.

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

If you‘d like more than a beach vacation, Fiji is the place for you.

The island nation is inviting travelers to donate some of their vacation to support local communities and environmental efforts.

Scientists have captured little chirps from rig sharks (also known as ‘lemon fish‘ and ‘spotted dogfish,‘ according to the NIWA).

For the first time, researchers have documented a shark producing sound.

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.

These majestic creatures keep the ocean under control in many ways.

A new study reveals that baleen whales, including humpbacks and gray whales, enrich oceans when they take a whizz.

From this moment on, multiple entities have argued over ownership of the ‘Titanic’

The complicated legal case involving salvage rights to the RMS ‘Titanic’ continues, 40 years after the famous shipwreck was rediscovered.

This little guy packs a big wallop.

Mantis shrimp can deal incredible blows without damaging themselves, but how? The makeup of their armor is key.

One of the biggest differences between a ship and a boat is size—but it’s not the only one.

You will instantly reveal yourself as a landlubber if you refer to a ship as a boat. Here’s how to tell the difference.

How do these guys do it?

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

The Jet Stream (left, over northern Canada) and the Gulf Stream (right, near Florida) both have big effects on global climate.

Learn the key differences between the two before the next polar vortex.

Some mushroom coral species can move.

Witness a mushroom coral on the move.

The head of Bathynomus vaderi.

Bathynomus vaderi is a supergiant isopod that can grow 12.7 inches in length.