Mental Floss

We all need sunscreen, but no one needs a white cast.

LIVE SMARTER

Why Sunscreen Can Leave a White Cast—and How to Avoid It

INSECTS

7 Disgusting Things Butterflies Eat

QUIZZES

Can You Guess the Lyrics of These ‘Hamilton’ Songs?

ARCHITECTURE

The Fascinating Reasons Why Some Old Houses Have Two Front Doors

Driving down the highway.

MAPS

Mapped: What Americans Want in a Car, According to Search Trends

See if you can decipher this twisted tune.

QUIZZES

Tune Twist Quiz #52

Calling police officers “cops” dates to the 19th century.

SLANG

Why Are Police Officers Called “Cops”?

Stopping to smell the flowers isn't all it's cracked up to be.

HEALTH

25 Worst U.S. Cities for Allergy Sufferers

LANGUAGE

1

You’re Probably Mispronouncing ‘Biopic’—Here’s Why

2

Why Do We Say “Over My Dead Body”?

3

5 Common Terms You Didn’t Know Were Named After People

4

Definition Detective Quiz #48

5

14 Alcoholic Drink Names You’re Probably Mispronouncing

HISTORY

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Johannes Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’

15 Facts About Vermeer’s ‘Girl With A Pearl Earring’

The Short-Tail Gang.

Can You Guess the Real 19th-Century Street Gang Name?

Kick back with an old-timey ginger beer by the pool this summer.

9 Old-Timey Summer Drinks to Beat the Heat

Wreckage from the Great Molasses Flood.

10 Destructive Non-Water Floods Throughout History

QUIZZES

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Robin Hood and Little John in 'Robin Hood' (1973).

Can You Guess the Lyrics of These Disney Songs?

Can you figure it out?

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #49

See if you can decipher this twisted tune.

Tune Twist Quiz #51

Ken Jennings.

What‘s the Kennection? #178

FEATURES

John Humphrey Noyes, head of the Oneida Community, and Charles Guiteau, presidential assassin.

The Bizarre Free Love Cult That Housed a Presidential Assassin

‘Bruce’ menaces the ‘Orca II’ on the set of ‘Jaws.’

The Bizarre Tale of the ‘Orca II,’ the Stunt Boat from ‘Jaws’

Lights, cameras, and ... crickets.

An Oral History of When Geraldo Rivera Opened Al Capone’s Vault

BIG QUESTIONS

SEE MORE

Telling him you're checked out will only take a few minutes.

What Happens If You Don’t Check Out of a Hotel?

Olives: You either love them or hate them.

Green Olives vs. Black Olives—They're Not as Different as You May Think

Accidental 911 calls happen more often than you may think.

What Happens If You Call 911 by Mistake?

A fallout shelter sign left over from the Cold War still visible in Brooklyn, New York.

Why Do We Still See Fallout Shelter Signs?