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Mental Floss
It’s that time of year when we can kind of, sort of indulge in some guilt-free chocolate goodness—after all, if your Significant Other has gifted you with some Valentine’s sweetness, you don’t want to hurt their feelings and reach for the celery instead,
Kara Kovalchik|
Miss Cellania|
It’s common knowledge among Lincoln historians that Mary Todd had a “courting cake” that she baked for Abe while they were dating after buying the recipe from her favorite bakery in Lexington, Kentucky. He declared it “the best cake I ever ate.” Here's th
Stacy Conradt|
Falling in love is one of the best feelings in the world. The tools available to biologists have advanced immensely in the last few decades, and they're using that technology to decipher the physiology involved in falling in love.
Andrew Koltonow|
Before Betty Friedan could escape her marriage, she had to start a revolution.
the mag|
Roma Panganiban|
You might not know Jack Cover, but you’re probably familiar with the Taser, a device he invented to help stop airplane hijackings. His contributions didn’t stop there, and the next time you resist arrest, you can tell the cops not only where the Taser the
David W Brown|
Get to know the country on the other side of that multi-kiloton nuclear bomb that was tested yesterday.
David W Brown|
From the masked intrigues of Venice to the vibrant pulse of Rio de Janeiro, Carnival is celebrated the world over. In honor of this year’s Fat Tuesday, here are a few Carnival traditions you may not have heard about.
Laura Steadham Smith|
There’s only one lab equipped to handle crimes against nature. (Just don’t ask the scientists to find Bigfoot.)
the mag|
You can't buy love, but you could name a cockroach after your beloved.
Amanda Green|
Arika Okrent|
Yesterday the USGS registered a 4.9 tremor in North Korea, suggesting the test of a nuclear bomb. Detecting nuclear tests is one of many missions for the USGS.
David W Brown|
When these celebrities and iconic characters want to knock one back, these are the drinks they choose.
Patrick Cain|
Fifty years ago today, Sylvia Plath committed suicide by sticking her head in a gas-filled oven while her children slept a room away. Her first suicide attempt 10 years earlier landed her at McLean psychiatric hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, which she
Stacy Conradt|
We know that infant chickens are called chicks and baby ducks are called ducklings—but how should we refer to the newborn offspring of animals that don’t often get cooed over in their early developmental stages?
Roma Panganiban|
Paleoscatologists have, quite possibly, the most epic job description ever: “fossil dung scientists.” Among the best-known is Kim Chin, who maintains that fossil feces—which are known scientifically as “coprolites”—can “teach us about the diet of ancient
Mark Mancini|
Today, Pope Benedict XVI announced he would be the first pope to step down in 600 years. Even before that, the head of the Catholic Church giving up his office voluntarily was a very rare occurrence.
Kathy Benjamin|
'Formication' may sound sexy, but it actually means "an abnormal sensation as of ants creeping over the skin."
Judith Herman|
Erin McCarthy|
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