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Mental Floss
Wikimedia Commons Early nightfall can change our moods from sweet to sour, and we've already found ourselves sleepier toward the end of the workday. If you find winter takes a toll on your mood, check out what it did to one of the world's most famous poe
Danny Groner|
Last month, Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft turned 8—which means that kids who started playing it when they were in middle school are now graduating from college. (Excluding the serious players, who will probably need a couple of extra years to
David W Brown|
Getty Images You have to love a Wikipedia page bearing the goofy warning label: "This page contains material that is kept because it is considered humorous. Please do not take it seriously." That's how the brilliant Wikipedia:Deleted articles with frea
Chris Higgins|
Poinsettias are as indispensable to Christmas as evergreen trees and mistletoe. Every year, they come out of the greenhouses and off the store shelves into our homes, and every year, some well-meaning but factually-challenged aunt or family friend warns u
Matt Soniak|
In 1931, a Western Union official said that "there can be no apology for contact." Six years later, the word was number four on a list of the 10 most "overworked" words.
Arika Okrent|
“Enola Gay” Written by Andy McCluskey (1980) Performed by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (better known as OMD) The
Bill DeMain|
President Lincoln's funeral train in Philidelphia near the start of its 13 day journey from Washington to Springfield. Photo courtesy of After Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, his body was taken from Washington, D.C., by train to be laid in a t
Matt Soniak|
When you sidle up to your sweetie for a smooch beneath the mistletoe this year, try not to think too much about the provenance of the plant's name. It's hardly the most romantic thing. The name mistletoe comes from the Old English mistletan (mistel, "mis
Matt Soniak|
The commercial Christmas card as we know it originated in London in 1843. That winter, Sir Henry Cole, a civil servant who helped organize the Great Exhibition and develop the Victoria and Albert Museum, decided he was too busy to write individual Christm
Matt Soniak|
Installment #48: As 1912 drew to a close, Europe seemed to be teetering on the brink of war. The victory of the Balkan League over the Ottoman Empire in the First Balkan War put Serbia on a collision course with Austria-Hungary over the issue of Serbian a
Erik Sass|
Nobel Prize winners and MacArthur "Genius" Fellows alike have held forth on the metaphysical, philosophical, semiotic, sociological, literary, and historical implications of latkeness vs. hamentashness.
Arika Okrent|
English has taken over pop music to the point where many bands from other countries will write their songs in English in order to appeal to a wider audience. The Eurovision Song Contest provides one place where other languages can get a chance at a bigger
Arika Okrent|
Our resident food expert spills the history of his favorite creamy holiday
Alton Brown|
During the American Civil War, the Union Army quickly figured out how to play Confederates’ own prejudices against them. They found that many Confederate troops would speak openly about tactics and troop movements or leave maps and orders out in plain vie
Matt Soniak|
“Marie Provost” Written by Nick Lowe (1978) Performed by Nick Lowe The
Bill DeMain|
That depends on how you define a “car.” In 1869, Irish scientist Mary Ward was riding in a steam-powered automobile built by her cousins.
Matt Soniak|
Stephen Fry is an actor, writer, poet, TV host, narrator, and for all I know a terrific cook -- the man is so prolific he has a Wikipedia page devoted simply to listing his works. Through all of his work he weaves threads of good humor, keen intellect, a
Chris Higgins|
“Midnight Rambler” Written by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards (1969) Performed by The Rolling Stones The
Bill DeMain|
The slate board is used to make syncing audio and film easier, but here are more facts to know about it.
Matt Soniak|
Buckingham Palace has confirmed what the British tabloids have suspected for a while: The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting. Unfortunately, Kate has also been admitted to the hospital due to hyperemesis gravidarum, or acute morning sickness—so severe that
Kara Kovalchik|
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