Instagram Hikaye Görüntüleyici

Last year, the International Union for Conservation of Nature no longer considered the marine creatures endangered, instead they reclassified them as a “species of least concern” in its influential conservation index. The conservation category contains abundant and well-distributed species that face no significant danger of extinction. Conservationists celebrated the good news, but they also cautioned that, while green sea turtles are rebounding globally, several subpopulations are still threatened.

What did they say could happen without continued protections?

📸: John Burns / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

In a shop in New York city, Leo Hirschfield came up with one of the twentieth century’s iconic candies: the humble Tootsie Roll. Seeing how popular his creation was, he merged with Stern & Saalberg Co. to produce the candies on a bigger scale. The wax-paper-wrapped sweet was the first candy to solve two confectionery issues: although it had a chocolatey taste, the penny candy didn’t melt, and it was individually wrapped.

When World War II happened, the Tootsie Roll was right there on the front lines. On National Taffy Day, tap the link in our profile to read more about the chewy candy that is still around today.

📸: Wikimedia Commons

On just ten nights each year at the Emerald Village in Little Switzerland, North Carolina, rockhounds can take an after-hours, black-light tour of Bon Ami Mine—one of only two mines in the U.S. to offer such an experience. The tours kicked off today, with nine more dates, now through October.

One of our 250 places to celebrate America, tap the link in our profile to find out what makes the mine glow fluorescent green.

📸: Emerald Village

When baby loggerheads in a laboratory know they are about to be fed, they dance. How does that relate to their navigation abilities?

At antique taffy stands up and down and even between the coasts, vacationers line up for a taste of American tradition. What makes this summer treat so sweet?

📸: Tom Brenner

On this day in 1968, Rowan Oak, the historic home of Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner, was added to the National Register of Historic Places and declared a National Historic Landmark.

What novels were inspired by the home's lush landscapes?

📸: Bettman

Road trips are synonymous with American life—but they weren’t always so. In the early 20th century, a few celebrity friends gave the tradition of disappearing down a lonesome highway a jump-start. Between 1914 and 1924, these influential men loaded their autos with camping gear and embarked on a series of historic road trips.

Who were the famous friends that embarked on these road trips?

📸: © AS400 DB/Corbis

A group of students from East Carolina University were working at the site of the former Brunswick Town—once North Carolina's largest pre-Revolutionary War port—when they unearthed evidence of four separate shipwrecks. Included in those remains were 40 pieces of timber that experts believe may have come from the vessel known as La Fortuna. Why do the students say the discovery was serendipitous?

📸: Image courtesy ECU Program in Maritime Studies

For nearly a decade, the rancher conspired with other individuals to clone endangered mountain sheep embryos and use them to breed a hybrid species. Why?

📸: Paulo Fassani / Flickr

Featuring more than 7,500 instruments from some 200 countries and territories, the sprawling Musical Instrument collects and preserves an astounding variety of instruments and peformanced from around the world. Familiarize yourself with a surbahar from India or a güiro from Puerto Rico, and see Tito Puente’s timbales and John Lennon’s Steinway, on which he composed the song “Imagine.”

What will you discover?

📸: Barry Winiker / Getty Images

As the city's Irish immigrant population moved out to the suburbs after World War II, gay San Franciscans found community in the Castro District. Harvey Milk, who was born on this day in 1930, moved to San Francisco in 1972, opening a camera store. He eventually settled in the Castro. Later, in 1977, he was elected city supervisor.

Discover more about this vibrant neighborhood, part of our 250 places to celebrate America at the link in our profile.

📸: Tunart / Getty Images

Happy National Road Trip Day! What better way to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday than by taking to the highway? Here are two artistic options to consider as you think about your summer travel plans.

Near Gladstone, North Dakota, artist Gary Greff's whimsical scrap metal sculptures decorate a 32-mile stretch of Interstate 94. You'll see the world's largest tin family, geese in flight, Teddy Roosevelt riding again and more.

Drive along Route 333 near Tijeras, New Mexico, the old Route 66, to hear sounds celebrating America. The carefully spaced rumble strips serve a dual purpose: slowing drivers down and offering up some entertainment.

Which road would you most like to see (or hear)? Let us know in the comments below.

📸: Education Images / Contributor / Getty
📸: Devilstocksoup / Wikimedia Commons
📸: Buyenlarge / Contributor / Getty
📸: Mphillips007 / Getty

Happy National Road Trip Day! What better way to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday than by taking to the highway? Here are two artistic options to consider as you think about your summer travel plans.

Near Gladstone, North Dakota, artist Gary Greff's whimsical scrap metal sculptures decorate a 32-mile stretch of Interstate 94. You'll see the world's largest tin family, geese in flight, Teddy Roosevelt riding again and more.

Drive along Route 333 near Tijeras, New Mexico, the old Route 66, to hear sounds celebrating America. The carefully spaced rumble strips serve a dual purpose: slowing drivers down and offering up some entertainment.

Which road would you most like to see (or hear)? Let us know in the comments below.

📸: Education Images / Contributor / Getty
📸: Devilstocksoup / Wikimedia Commons
📸: Buyenlarge / Contributor / Getty
📸: Mphillips007 / Getty

Happy National Road Trip Day! What better way to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday than by taking to the highway? Here are two artistic options to consider as you think about your summer travel plans.

Near Gladstone, North Dakota, artist Gary Greff's whimsical scrap metal sculptures decorate a 32-mile stretch of Interstate 94. You'll see the world's largest tin family, geese in flight, Teddy Roosevelt riding again and more.

Drive along Route 333 near Tijeras, New Mexico, the old Route 66, to hear sounds celebrating America. The carefully spaced rumble strips serve a dual purpose: slowing drivers down and offering up some entertainment.

Which road would you most like to see (or hear)? Let us know in the comments below.

📸: Education Images / Contributor / Getty
📸: Devilstocksoup / Wikimedia Commons
📸: Buyenlarge / Contributor / Getty
📸: Mphillips007 / Getty