By Glen Gower,... READ ON
Joel Stein's new book Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity hit stores yesterday. On Friday, we're going to give away a copy. For now, here are a few things he learned about the world of masculinity while researching the... READ ON
by David Shiffman David Shiffman is a Ph.D. student at the University of Miami’s Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, where his research focuses on shark behavior, ecology, and conservation. Make him feel welcome! Quick—think of a shark! What did it look like? Most people are only familiar with the sharks that make the news for biting people: animals like the bull shark, tiger shark, or the great white made infamous by Jaws. SCUBA divers, fishermen, or avid watchers of Shark Week... READ ON
by Angela Tung,... READ ON
Christine Lusey runs Retro Campaigns, the internet's premier source for historical campaign t-shirts and memorabilia. We asked if she could compile some memorable slogans from past elections. She did not disappoint. These days it seems like every campaign slogan is just a series of political buzzwords: Hope! Change! Values! Newt! But it wasn't always this way. Here are a dozen old slogans we hope will inspire the current crop of candidates to go with something unique. 1. Al Smith... READ ON
Our friend Neil Pasricha has a new Awesome book coming out next week — The Book of (Holiday) Awesome! If you'd like to win a copy, tell us something (holiday) awesome in the comments — Neil will pick two winners at random next week. by Neil... READ ON
By Brian Gottesman Most mental_floss readers probably know and love him best as the father of The Lord of the Rings. But there are plenty of things even the most ardent fans don't know about John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Here are a couple of facts we think are precious. 1. He had a flair for the dramatic. As a linguist and expert on Old English and Old Norse literature, Tolkien was a tenured professor at Oxford University from 1925 until 1959. He was also a tireless instructor, teaching between 70... READ ON
by Robert... READ ON
When it comes to buying an insurance policy, high risk jobs such as acting, working on an oil rig, or being an aircraft pilot will obviously push up the price. What, then, does it mean for astronauts? Our friends at Travel Insurance dug deeper and found out a little more about the risks, costs, and benefits to insured astronauts: Click image for full-sized... READ ON
Note: A couple friends of mental_floss worked on this, and they're excited to crank out more fun infographics on various topics. If there's a subject you'd like to see mapped out, leave your suggestion in the comments! While outsiders might see competitive eating as funny business, professional competitive eaters don't see any humor in the rigorous training regime they follow to get in shape for the annual competitions. Our friends at Term Life Insurance have compiled this handy infographic on this most... READ ON
5 Questions: Burger Time
Saved by the Bell Sports
The famous Aaron Burr “Got Milk?” ad from 1993 was directed by Michael Bay.
