Mental Floss
Some of Webster's suggested reforms caught on and still mark a difference between American and British writing. But you won't beleev how many of his reforms went nowhere.
Arika Okrent|
Language is a continual process of evolution, but these words—from pea to sherry—changed thanks to outright mistakes.
Paul Anthony Jones|
A semordnilap (itself a semordnilap of “palindromes”) makes a completely different word when spelled backwards.
Arika Okrent|
Let’s sort these babies out.
mentalfloss .com|
Nickname-names like Ellie and Liam are in. Millennial and royal names are out. (Sorry Erin and William.)
Paul Anthony Jones|
From David Lynch to Queen Elizabeth I, these folks achieved a type of lexical immortality when their names became adjectives.
Mark Peters|
These are the most popular aristocratic baby names in 2025, from Amelia to George
CaLea Johnson|
Check out the top baby names of 2024 and their meanings.
CaLea Johnson|
See which names your state's new parents chose most often in 2024.
Ellen Gutoskey|
Can you figure out what the song is, or who performed it?
Erin McCarthy|
Let’s explore the origins of America's most disrespected lettuce.
Jake Rossen|
This easy tomato-braised white bean recipe from the Institute of Culinary Education is hearty, flavorful, and perfect for busy days.
CaLea Johnson|
One state had the lion’s share of tornadoes between 2020 and 2024—but a different state sustained the most monetary damage.
Paul Anthony Jones|
Eighty years after the first atomic bomb was detonated in New Mexico, we’re still feeling the political and scientific shockwaves.
Mark Mancini|
A number of states entered the union with different capital cities. How many of them do you know?
mentalfloss .com|
And how do chauvinism and jingoism factor in?
Paul Anthony Jones|
Here are a few things you might not know about the must-watch, can’t-look-away cult classic and the house it immortalized.
April Snellings|
If you love a good Aperol Spritz, you might want to put these countries on your travel list.
Paul Anthony Jones|
You might be surprised to see which canines make the cut when it comes to the world’s most expensive dog breeds.
Jennifer Fabiano|
When John Adams penned a letter to future first lady Abigail Adams on July 3, 1776, he guessed how future generations of Americans would celebrate Independence Day with remarkable accuracy—but he got the date wrong.
Erik van Rheenen|
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