
Latest Articles

Quiz: Can You Name the Bruce Springsteen Album By One Song?
Think you're a Bruce Springsteen fan? Here's your chance to prove it on his birthday!Quizzes





Weekly Spotlight
History

The Mental Floss Newsletter
A little smarter, a little weirder, and way more fun than the average email.
Entertainment
Reader Favorites
More Stories

The Minimum Wage the Year You Were Born, From 1940 to 2010
See how much workers earned per hour the year you were born, and how far that amount would stretch today.
5 Sounds That Defined Fall in the 1990s
From the 'X-Files' theme song to the humming of a dial-up modem and the rustle of falling leaves on the walk home from school, these were the sounds of autumn in the '90s.
15 Life-Saving Facts Everyone Should Know
Plus, what to do in an emergency.
Stephen King's Favorite (and Least Favorite) Stephen King Novels
The award-winning author has four favorites, and one he considers "awful."
Hidden Italy: Meet Stefania, the Farmer Who Makes Everything From Scratch
From the land to the table, Stefania is keeping Calabrian traditions alive, and you can be part of the story.
The Surprising Jobs George R.R. Martin Had Before Writing Fantasy Full Time
The journey to becoming a bestselling author wasn’t overnight for A Song of Ice and Fire writer George R.R. Martin.
Is It Really Illegal to Burn Money?
The next time you feel a burning desire to torch your Benjamins, think twice. Burning money—or intentionally damaging it in any way—is illegal.
How Much Did a Gallon of Gas Cost the Year You Were Born?
Ever wondered how much a gallon of gas cost the year you were born? Take a nostalgic drive through historic fuel prices from the 1950s to today.
Can You Pass This 3rd Grade Math Quiz? Most People Miss at Least One
It might be more difficult than you think!
Why Does Hispanic Heritage Month Start in the Middle of September?
The week of September 15 includes the anniversaries of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Mexico, and Chile's independence from Spain, which is why Hispanic Heritage Month starts at this time.
What the Lizzie Borden Rhyme Gets Wrong About the Real Case
Four lines, four errors, and the version everyone sings isn’t even the one that ran first.
The Most Popular Toy the Year You Were Born
From Etch A Sketch to Easy-Bake Oven to iPad, this toy was all the rage the year you were born.
6 Foods Pirates Really Ate at Sea
The strange, salty, and sometimes surprising foods pirates survived on at sea.
Inside Nance O’Neil’s Mysterious Relationship With Lizzie Borden
The world never let Lizzie Borden move on from the murders, but she may have found friendship and intimacy with one of the most celebrated actresses in the country.
How 16th-Century Noblewoman Elizabeth Báthory Became Known as the ‘Blood Countess’
The latest portrayal of the alleged serial killer comes in Netflix’s ‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.’ Learn all about Elizabeth Báthory and how her legend has lived in infamy.
What Do Biblically Accurate Angels Actually Look Like?
From the seraphim and cherubim to Archangel Michael and the famous many-eyed wheels, angels take many forms—and many names—in the Bible.
5 Myths About the Lizzie Borden Case Most People Believe
The facts of the Lizzie Borden case have faded to make way for the shock-and-awe myths that came with a rhyme.
The Mystery of Hildegard von Bingen’s Secret Language
Visions inspired the legendary abbess Hildegard von Bingen to create the Lingua Ignota, the world's oldest documented constructed language. The purpose behind it remains a mystery.
The Bruce Willis Movie He Called Relatable—and the One He Regretted Making
"There was no one in it you could root for."



































