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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
Move over, Pikachu—Japan’s Ojisan Trading Card Game celebrates real-life local legends, delighting kids and strengthening community ties. You may be familiar with the Pokémon Trading Card Game, which allows fans to collect cards, build decks, and battle with their favorite monsters from the franchise. But have you ever wanted a game with a trading card specifically dedicated to you? A group of men in a small, rural Japanese town get to live that dream.
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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
At Florida‘s Capybara Cafe, you can cuddle with the giant rodents—and it‘s booking up fast thanks to its adorable, snuggly stars. Capybaras are on a roll. These adorable, giant rodents have taken over social media—showing up in countless memes and even inspiring a viral song—likely because many of us aspire to be as chill as they are. Those in Florida now have special capybara-petting privileges, thanks to a new cafe dedicated to the animals.
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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
There’s an evolutionary reason behind wisdom teeth and why they cause so much trouble today. Teeth are an essential part of the digestion process, but four molars are more trouble than they’re worth. We’re talking about wisdom teeth. They’re the bane of many people’s existence, causing swelling, bad breath, and jaw pain when impacted. In fact, Cleveland Clinic reports that 90 percent of people have at least one impacted wisdom tooth.
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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
Think flies are annoying? A new study reveals that their environmental impact is often overlooked compared to other pollinating insects. It’s no secret that many types of insects, such as bees and butterflies, are essential to the environment. Animal pollinators are primarily responsible for propagating three-fourths of flowering plants worldwide and almost 35 percent of food crops, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
Discover the world's most expensive and in-demand photo spots—from the Burj Khalifa to Mount Kilimanjaro. One fun part of traveling is taking pictures of your destinations and keeping them as memories. But some shots come at a steep cost. If you’re planning an Instagram-worthy vacation, these popular tourist attractions will cost you the most to visit and photograph, according to Heepsy.
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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
Job scams hit hardest in California, Florida, and Nevada. Find out why certain states are at higher risk—and how you can avoid falling victim. You never want to see a scam in your inbox, but job scams can be especially devastating. According to USA TODAY, the Federal Trade Commission found that money lost to such fraud increased threefold from 2020 to 2023. The financial toll of people falling for fake calls and messages related to employment reached $220 million in the first half of 2024.
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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
Zoo animals are picking up painting—and the results are both cute (to us) and mentally stimulating (for them). Playing music—or attempting to, at least—isn’t the only way zoo animals can express themselves. They’ve been known to dabble in the visual arts as well. Zoos across the country have provided their animals with canvases and paintbrushes to make art. Luckily, we have footage of the animal artists at New York’s Rosamond Gifford Zoo pawing and pecking away at their works in progress.
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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
Despite its small size, the Darwin’s bark spider weaves a massive web using the strongest spider silk ever discovered. Walking into a spider web might make you panic, even if it’s only a few feet wide. Now imagine colliding into one over 80 feet long. That’s unlikely, but thanks to the Darwin’s bark spider, it’s not impossible. The BBC YouTube video below highlights the arachnid’s web-weaving skills. Its silk structure is the world’s largest web, spanning up to 25 meters, or about 82 feet.
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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
Scientists are collecting sourdough starters to explore how fermented foods can improve gut health—and maybe even help the planet. Starters aren’t just for making bread. The mixture, which consists of fermented flour and water, might also be beneficial for research. According to JSTOR Daily, scientists are studying the kitchen staple in the name of gut health. For their research, a team of food scientists based in Europe are crowdsourcing sourdough starters from home bakers across the continent.
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1 week ago | 
mentalfloss.com | CaLea Johnson
New research reveals that climate change and irrigation have made India’s Thar Desert greener—though the news isn’t entirely positive. Climate change has had a far-reaching impact on the environment, from increased pathogens found in polar bears to higher levels of seafood contamination. Though its effects are overwhelmingly negative for humans, a new study suggests it’s also partially responsible for making one desert greener and more habitable.
