Ethan Trex
Joined: Nov 21, 2012
Ethan was the Editorial Director/VP, Strategy at mental_floss. Likes: doughnuts, spirits (liquor), spirits (supernatural), donuts. Dislikes: injuries.
Why Are Michigan’s Bottle Deposits So High?
6 Surprising Facts About Boxing Day
The Origins of 7 Common Units of Measurement
The Surprisingly Interesting History of Margarine
A look at the fascinating origins of margarine, the popular butter substitute, and the dairy lobby's attempts to defeat it.
Can You Really Go Blind Staring at a Solar Eclipse?
Total solar eclipse mania is gripping the United States. Should the wide-eyed and unprotected hazard a peek at this rare phenomenon?
The Not-So-Glamorous Early Jobs of 23 Famous People
Lots of wildly successful celebrities have had some strange jobs before hitting it big.
Henry Ford's Attempt to Make Us All Pilots
"Mark my words: a combination airplane and motorcar is coming. You may smile, but it will come."
The Fascinating Stories Behind 15 Celebrity Stage Names
From Snoop Dogg to Brie Larson, here's how 15 public figures came up with new names.
8 Sparkling Facts About Champagne
As midnight approaches on December 31, more than a few of us will pop open a bottle or two of champagne to help ring in the New Year. Here are a few nuggets you can share with fellow revelers.
A Brief History of Black Friday
It’s the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, but where did this tradition start? And just how big is it?
Why Do the Lions and Cowboys Always Play on Thanksgiving?
Why do the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys always take to the field for a Thanksgiving football game? Because it’s tradition! But how did this tradition begin?
Why We Eat What We Eat on Thanksgiving
We look back at the history of Thanksgiving to explain how turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie got on your plate.
15 Surprising Facts About Bing Crosby
You know him as the man who sang "White Christmas" and co-starred in a slew of movies with Bob Hope. But here are some facts about Bing Crosby that might surprise you.
Why Can’t I Use My Cell Phone on an Airplane?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bars the use of all transmitting devices in the off chance that transmissions could interfere with a plane’s navigation and communications equipment and cause system malfunctions.
Why Does Humidity Make Us Feel Hotter?
Is it really not the heat, but the humidity? With temperatures spiking around the world, it's a good time to answer some questions about the heat index.