Mental Floss
Your online research method may say something about you.
CaLea Johnson|
Christmas has been canceled a fair number of times throughout history.
Lorna Wallace|
As with many words, we have Latin to thank.
Mark Peters|
He got the idea from a story his wife told him while they were visiting her parents: “I joked, ‘This would be good for a novel. I am going to write a novel based on this.’ ”
Erin McCarthy|
The Hallmark Channel’s annual Countdown to Christmas kicks off every October. But the channel's reputation for producing feel-good holiday films began years before the annual event.
Anne Taylor|
The ship’s pilot helped his family reach freedom, then served in the Civil War and in the U.S. Congress. Robert Smalls’s statue will be the first to honor an individual Black citizen on South Carolina State House grounds.
Tim Brinkhof|
We all have our favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, but do other U.S. residents feel the same about them?
CaLea Johnson|
Within the last 200 years, we’ve discovered about two dozen species of hominins in Europe, Africa, and Asia—which you can see laid out in this map.
Kat Long|
Researchers just described one of the tiniest frogs known to science.
CaLea Johnson|
The imposing clocks have an origin story, but it doesn't have much to do with any actual grandfathers.
Jake Rossen|
Each of these ancient fossils, even if just a small part of a skeleton, represents an identifiable character in the story of humankind.
Claire Cock-Starkey|
Researchers recently found that polar bears are facing higher exposure to certain bacteria and viruses.
CaLea Johnson|
Americans get an average of only 11 vacation days per year. Use them wisely.
Tim Brinkhof|
This common phrase is often used during times of political uncertainty, and has even been described as an ancient Chinese curse. History says otherwise, though.
Marla Mackoul|
If you have an old toothbrush lying around, you never have to stress over threading a needle again.
Marla Mackoul|
Save some time and energy with Butterball’s new “cook from frozen” turkey.
CaLea Johnson|
Are all these new slang terms confusing you? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
CaLea Johnson|
“Fido” is a name that has become synonymous with all things dog. But where did the name come from?
Meredith Danko|
She spoke multiple languages, defeated Spain’s powerful navy, and never accepted a marriage proposal. Discover more fascinating facts about Queen Elizabeth I and her reign.
Editorial Staff|
Anesthesia is a complex mixture of medications that lessen pain during procedures. Different types affect the body in different ways.
CaLea Johnson|
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