If you've seen the new Amazon Prime series Dead Ringers, or if you saw the 1988 movie starring Jeremy Irons (shown above), or if you read the novel Twins, then you might want to learn a little about the real life twin New York gynecologists they were inspired by.  

Stewart and Cyril Marcus were prominent and talented gynecologists that were renowned for saving difficult pregnancies. But they were only 45 years old when they were both found dead in the apartment they shared. That was the end point of a decline that involved mental illness, drug abuse, weight loss, withdrawal, and loss of employment. That the identical twins had died together was a shock to New York City, and the fact that authorities didn't want to talk about it made the story even more intriguing. A few months after they were found dead in 1975, writer Linda Wolfe, who was a patient of Cyril Marcus, did her own research on the doctors and their deaths for New York magazine. Vulture has reprinted that article, so we can all know the doctors who left behind a bizarre pop culture legacy. -via Metafilter

Does this sea slug look like a tree, or a peacock, or a cartoon character? The species Costasiella kuroshimae is also called the leaf slug, leaf sheep, or salty ocean caterpillar. The species is most notable (to scientists) because of the unique way it harnesses plants. It eats them, but retains the chloroplasts in its cells to continue photosynthesis! This process is called kleptoplasty.

If you said it looks like a cartoon character, you're not alone. Another nickname for the leaf sheep is the Shaun the Sheep slug, because of the uncanny resemblance to the British cartoon character. Note the close-set eyes, the wide "nose," and the tentacles that look like ears (or sometimes horns). It looks rather charming, doesn't it?

Underwater photographer Alex Mustard took the picture at the top and tells us something else we didn't know about these slugs. They are hard to photograph because they are incredibly tiny, only 2-3 millimeters long, or about 1/16 of an inch! But photographers keep trying, because the slugs are just so cute. Continue reading to see more of these slugs.

Writer Anjali Enjeti was recently scheduled to fly from Houston to Atlanta when her Delta flight was delayed for a novel reason: there was a swarm of bees on one of the wings of the plane. She tweeted the adventure, which is, as appropriate from a professional novelist, worth a complete read.

The swarm was spotted before the passengers boarded, which is fortunate because a resolution to this saga took a long time. Enjeti watched and photographed events from a terminal window. Airport personnel considered hosing off the bees. They also summoned a beekeeper and a pest control expert, neither of whom were allowed to remove the pests.

They also tried to blow the bees off which vehicle exhaust. The bees stayed in place. So the airline decided to give the departure gate to another plane and move this plane. When the flight crew turned on the engine to move the plane, the bees left.

This delay caused a lot of problems for passengers. If the airport officials had simply summoned Samuel L. Jackson, they plane might have left on time.

-via Super Punch

The SS Valencia was a steamship that took off from San Francisco bound for Seattle in January of 1906 with tons of cargo and 108 passengers as well as a crew of 67 men. En route, the ship encountered bad weather and in the dark of night became lost. The crew didn't know the ship was lost, but the officers disagreed about the ship's speed and where they were. When Captain Johnson assumed the ship was near Cape Flattery, he headed toward the shore. But he was wrong, and the Valencia crashed into a reef. Two lifeboats were deployed, but the waves and the rocks tossed the boats around until a very few survivors made it to shore. By the next morning, they could see they were in the middle of nowhere, with a cliff lining the shore, and the Valencia, with more than a hundred people still on it, falling apart.  

In daylight, more lifeboats were launched, but they also lost most of their passengers. The survivors landed miles away. It would be several more days before anyone knew about the wreck of the Valencia. Some tried to swim to shore, others refused to leave, and some braved more lifeboats. None of the women and children aboard lived through the ordeal. Read the story of the Valencia shipwreck, from the accounts of its 37 survivors and those who found them. -via Damn Interesting

(Image credit: Yiran Jia)

Morning rose over the sleepy town of Old Bridge, New Jersey. It's a quiet community. But what secrets happen in the dark of night would be revealed to all: there had been a dumping during the twilight hours.

Near a creek in the woods, some unknown criminal representing shadowy forces that quietly rule our lives had dumped 300-400 pounds of pasta.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the pasta of the elbow and spaghetti varieties. It had been cooked prior to being dumped at the site. City workers cleaned up the pasta. But they don't know who is responsible for it.

Or perhaps they're just not talking about what they do know.

-via Emily Bloch | Photo: Nina Jochnowitz

Melton Barker was an "itinerant filmmaker." He went from small town to small town across the US, where he would cast local children -and a few adults- in his latest film. It was always the same film, The Kidnapper's Foil. He charged each "actor" a fee to cover production costs. Was it a scam? Not much of one, since he actually produced the films, which were shown in each local theater. Barker made a living, and the kids got to be in a movie. What's more, these local movies, the ones that survive, are a snapshot into the era of the small town in which they were made. Sure, some parents may have had unfulfilled hopes of stardom for their children, but the kids mostly just had fun. And Barker kept making this same movie for 40 years! Was this movie made in your hometown? Check out this map to find out. Filmmaker David Friedman would like to see a revival of The Kidnapper's Foil, so he linked to the script in case you want to film your own community production of the movie. -via Laughing Squid

(Image source: kaupas24)

I wanted to believe the house you see above is a Photoshop job. No, it is an actual house in Nigeria. Two floors, three facades, five colors, and what's going on with the columns? Putting them on the corners would be sensible, but they couldn't even center them together in the middle.

(Image source: HimD98)

While the images are called architectural fails, it's pretty obvious that no trained architect was involved at all. Professionals go to school to learn how not to end up with stairs like this. It's the exact reason why my daughter's kitchen has one cabinet that's just a dummy door, to provide headroom for the staircase below it. Bored Panda has a list of 50 such weird building results, some the result of bad planning from the start, and many of which are the result of modifying a structure without paying a penny more than they had to.  

We know that in the history of mankind, rotten teeth came about because in the abundance of the modern world we consume a lot more sugars and starches than our ancestors did. But what about crooked teeth? They weren't so common in ancient times. Did we evolve to have smaller jaws with no room for teeth to line up, much less wisdom teeth? It seems so, although animal studies have shown that eating soft foods vs. hard foods can affect jaw development regardless of genetic history. It may be a use-it-or-lose it thing. Now I'm wondering if switching diets make any difference in how crooked an adult human's teeth could be, or whether it's too late by then. What foods could we serve our children to encourage bigger jaws and straight teeth? Chewing gum? -via Digg

When someone refers to a show that has been "banned" or "censored," it's usually not a violation of free speech by government authorities, but a reconsideration by the producers or TV networks for good reason. A well-intentioned script can seem innocuous, but after production is done, it turned out scarier, creepier, sexier, or more controversial than intended. Sometimes that only becomes obvious after the fact, when viewers complain, so the episode may air once and then disappear from reruns and syndication. Decades later, they can re-appear on home video or streaming.  

The reasons this happens vary. In the very last episode of I Love Lucy, the Ricardos go to visit Ricky's family in Havana. But it never aired because of the timing of US-Cuban relations. Three episodes from the Star Trek world were banned in various countries because they they were too sexy or politically sensitive. Some TV episodes were pulled because they were a little too soon after a national tragedy that was unintentionally reflected in the plot. Many of The Price Is Right episodes were pulled from the archives years later because the prizes were fur coats. A couple of shows involved copyright violations. A lot of programming aimed at young audiences were deemed too "adult" or too scary. One that you might never have seen coming was a Peppa Pig episode in which someone says, "Spiders can't hurt you." That one is never shown in Australia because it's dangerous- spiders can hurt you very much down under.

Groovy History has the stories behind 61 television episodes that were pulled before or after airing, or else not shown in other countries for one reason or another. Most are available now if you know where to look.  

The remake of Dune is so vast that we had to wait two years for the second half. But Dune: Part Two is coming! Fans of the first part have probably already seen the 1984 version, or read the book, so the overall story isn't a mystery, but how well will this movie tell it? The 2021 movie Dune (the first part) made more than $400 million worldwide, surpassing expectations that were modest because of the pandemic. Then everyone who didn't see it in theaters watched it as a streaming hit.

In part two, Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya return and are joined by new characters played by Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Christopher Walken (who isn't in this trailer, but plays the Emperor). Dune: Part Two will open in theaters November 3rd.

Twenty years after being declared extinct, conservationists at the Sena Oura National Park reported a sighting of a wild lion. The animal was described to be “a beautiful lioness, in her prime and clearly in great health,” by New-York based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Lions are declared technically extinct in Sena Oura, located in the larger Bouba N’djida-Sena Oura Landscape along the Cameroon/Chad border. This is because the area saw a long period of “ruthless, organized poaching,” WCS explained. Because of this, lion populations all over West and Central Africa declined by approximately 66 percent. 

Now, the sighting of the thriving and healthy lioness in Chad is definitely a cause for celebration. This means that lion populations are slowly, but surely recovering. “[It] is hugely encouraging,” WCS Big Cat Programme executive director Luke Hunter told BBC News. “Prime females are the foundation of any lion population, and they are not big wanderers: they inhabit areas that have prey and are safe to raise their cubs in.”

Image credit: PN Sena Oura, Chad MEPDD/WCS

These old boxy television units from the 1980s to the 1990s turn out can still be used. While they can’t be on par with current devices, they can certainly still be repurposed. This is what artist Hanna Marx did! She decided to convert a 1982 television into a “cat apartment” for her beloved furry companion. 

Now, this apartment is no joke. The now hollowed-out TV contains small artworks done by Marx, as well as a comfy bed perfect for some downtime! She also created a jungle-inspired watercolor background to serve as the apartment’s wallpaper. Additionally, the cat has access to a little “fireplace” that emits a warm glow. 

Marx shared that this was a DIY project for her, and anyone can replicate what she has done for her feline. All you would need is an old television, which you can find in a thrift store or online at Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. We do have to note that you need to be extra careful of hollowing your unit out, as the cathode ray tube (CRT) contains toxins. 

Image credit: Hanna Marx

Metaphorically? We certainly hope so. 

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride might sound a bit fun at first, but it actually sits on the same table as the controversial and frightening attractions over the decades in theme parks. It joins Extraterrestrial Alien Encounter (also known as Enchanted Wish) as well as the Snow White ride. However, while the two other attractions we mentioned shut down, Mr. Toad’s remains operational today. 

But what makes it scary? It’s certainly not the first part of the ride, as you get to roll through the halls of an English manor filled with animal characters from The Wind in the Willows, a farm, and a TNT factory. Fun, right? The first half definitely sends you into a reckless driving segment. 

And then it brings you to court. That’s right, the ride kind of punishes you by putting you in front of a judge, which finds you guilty. It doesn’t stop from there, the ride takes a literal turn for the worse after that, bringing you onto the tracks of an oncoming train, until a crash can be heard and everything turns dark. Metaphorically, you’ve died- and now Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride has brought you into the depths of hell. 

Visitors will be treated to pitchfork-wielding demons dancing to maniacal laughter, as well as a  dragon behind a stalactite cage preparing to blast fire over you and your fellow passengers. And then the ride is done. It’s that intense. I don’t know about you but that kind of seems fun! 

Image credit: ​​deror_avi/Wikimedia Commons

The theme for this year's Met Gala, held last night, was the late Chanel director Karl Lagerfield. Many celebrities dressed in frocks that resembled vintage Chanel fashions, but a couple of the participants arrived in costumes that channeled Lagerfield's beloved cat Choupette. Singer and rapper Doja Cat meowed her way through some red carpet interviews, while she opened up about her facial prosthetics and attire for others. But she wasn't the only one who had Choupette in mind. Jared Leto made his entrance in a full furry white cat costume.  

Jared Leto เว่อร์มาก แมวเหมียว แมวใจสุดๆ กินรวบคนเดียวไม่แบ่งใคร 🐱⭐ pic.twitter.com/MvBomj1mb3

— 𝗅𝗈𝗅𝗂𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗒𝖽 🤍ꔚ (@_lolifroyd) May 2, 2023

After posing for pictures, Leto ditched the full body costume and continued the evening with the black suit he was wearing underneath it. But he kept the head around for photo opportunities. The one cat that was missing from the gala was Choupette herself, who preferred to stay at home, as cats will.

In 1986, Barbara Lowe Vollick won five games of ‘Jeopardy!’ in a row. Her episodes were then taken out of circulation. What followed was a nearly 40-year hunt for the missing tapes—and a quest to find out what really happened.@clairemcnear: https://t.co/DHYlN2xbg4

— The Ringer (@ringer) May 2, 2023

The game show Jeopardy! exhibits enduring popularity and has spawned a community of rabid fans, particularly the Alex Trebek years, 1984-2020. Old shows are syndicated and archived, with the lone exception of one week in 1986 in which Barbara Lowe won five games in a row. To add to the mystery, Lowe did not appear on that year's Tournament of Champions, in which all five-time winners were normally invited. As the Jeopardy! fan community coalesced and communicated, those five missing episodes that were never rerun nor appeared anywhere else became a mystery that had to be solved.

An interview with Alex Trebek in 1990 shed some light on Barbara Lowe, who Trebek said was disqualified after her appearance for lying on her Jeopardy! application. That account was bolstered when writer/producer Harry Eisenberg published a book in 1993 that repeated Trebek's story and added that Lowe's demeanor was off-putting to the audience.

The story of Barbara Lowe reached new heights last year when copies of her Jeopardy! appearances were uncovered in a fan's closet. When those were made available, fans were perplexed, because those shows did not portray Lowe as the least bit problematic. She was downright charming.

Meanwhile, Barbara Lowe Vollick doesn't watch Jeopardy! anymore and surprisingly didn't know she was the subject of an internet mystery. The Ringer tracked her down to get her side of the story, which you can read in this article. She gives us her account of her five appearances on the show, what went wrong, and the legal actions that followed. While we now have both sides of the story, Trebek and Eisenburg have both passed on, so there can be no final resolution to the discrepancies in their claims. But we now have the tapes, and Barbara Lowe Vollick's side of the story. -via Metafilter