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Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix
Last week, we launched The Ultimate Brain Challenge. We started with History, which ties in nicely with our latest book, The Mental Floss History of the World. (Have we mentioned the whole preorder-from-Amazon, get-six-free-months-of-mental_floss-magazine deal?)
But in the coming months/years/decades, we’ll be adding to our curriculum. Now’s your chance to lobby for what comes next. Literature? Movies? Environmental Science? Politics? The Super Bowl? Religion? The 1960s? All Things Canada? What subjects would you be excited to master?
Comments (26)
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Here are subjects I’d enjoy (because I think I know a lot about them):
U.S. Presidential History
Africa
Inventors
Big Ten Football
Candy
But I’d be psyched for literature or movies.
posted by Robyn on 10-20-2008 at 4:19 pm
I’d like to see how well I could do with movies. I’d give Literature a try, too.
posted by jim on 10-20-2008 at 4:27 pm
SCIENCE!!!!! (and not just enviro.. i was thinking more bio/health sci)
literature would be sweet too!
posted by Amanda on 10-20-2008 at 4:39 pm
I don’t get how to work it!
posted by Francesca on 10-20-2008 at 4:57 pm
Literature, Science, Mathematics, Languages, anything really. Lol.
posted by Nell on 10-20-2008 at 5:22 pm
Definitely literature. Maybe art, as well. That could tie in nicely with “Feel Art Again.”
posted by Kelsey on 10-20-2008 at 5:22 pm
I agree with Amanda, physiology based science knowledge would be awesome.
posted by Maggie on 10-20-2008 at 5:28 pm
Movies! Music! Literature! Art!
posted by Amy on 10-20-2008 at 5:28 pm
Movies! College Football! Pro Football! Sports in General! TV! Math! States! Geography
posted by Dan on 10-20-2008 at 5:34 pm
Etymology or anything to do with words/language
posted by Amy on 10-20-2008 at 5:43 pm
I second Amy’s words/language suggestion!
posted by JD on 10-20-2008 at 6:33 pm
Literature, Movies, Music. I’m game for pretty much anything.
posted by Amy D on 10-20-2008 at 7:06 pm
Literature, words, books, etc.
posted by Tanner on 10-20-2008 at 7:48 pm
Food!!
posted by Sarah on 10-20-2008 at 8:14 pm
Please, no Enviro Science. I’m sooooooo sick of it. I go here because you don’t post that stuff. Just keep up with the “new and different.”
posted by nihil on 10-20-2008 at 8:15 pm
Dear god, anything but religion. I’d be fine with things I know a lot about (e.g. sports, music, geography, video games, math) or things I don’t know a lot about (e.g. literature, science, things unrelated to pop culture), but no religion.
Also, no pun intended with the “dear god” thing. I don’t even believe in god.
posted by Mike on 10-20-2008 at 8:56 pm
Movies
Literature
Music- From Rock to Bach
posted by Don on 10-20-2008 at 9:27 pm
You should keep in mind that there are many readers who don’t live in the US, and would lose interest if there are lots of questions about American sports or television.
posted by dfv on 10-21-2008 at 1:36 am
I would love to see Lit on the list. I would also like to see Grammer, grammer, grammer!!!!
posted by JaneM on 10-21-2008 at 8:22 am
- Food/drinks
- Words/languages
- In honour of Halloween, scary things (like monsters, ghosts, scooby doo, etc) — perhaps even one on different holidays around the world; their origins, traditions and such
- All things Canada? Yes please!
posted by Jenny on 10-21-2008 at 10:35 am
I am also in favor of something science/molecular/medical/physiological -ly based. More than just how the body/organs/systems function — maybe having to do with how external stimuli (drugs? – medication, caffeine, alcohol, etc) work. I’m particulalry interested in neuro/endocrinology. The effects of neurotransmitters and hormones go far beyond what many people might think..
posted by Bri on 10-21-2008 at 11:44 am
Communication would be interesting – non-verbal, verbal, written, electronic.
posted by Chris on 10-21-2008 at 12:19 pm
First choice: Language/etymology/words
Second choice: science/biology/chemistry/mechanics
Third choice: music — all genres, not just classical or rock or …..
Fourth choice: art!! all types
but NO SPORTS! PLEASE!!!
posted by Kris on 10-21-2008 at 12:41 pm
Medieval times. It’s so interesting and really amusing. They did some funny stuff back then.
posted by Faith on 10-21-2008 at 1:59 pm
I would like to see some traditional subjects make it such as Math, Literature, etc.
Also, though, you could have a language section so that those of us trying to learn another language could practice.
I also like the idea of a ‘movies’ or ‘tv’ category, though you could probably lump them all into one called “pop culture” if you ran out of room. Same thing with sports. It would be nice if you broke up pop culture into separate pieces but I can’t see you having a billion different categories.
Religion would be nice, too.
posted by jessica on 10-21-2008 at 2:58 pm
How about intellectual figures in history:
Newton, Socrates, Twain, etc…
This could borrow from literature, philosophy, and science – fun for all!
posted by ARJ on 10-21-2008 at 8:36 pm