Mental Floss

ALL STORIES

Nena, 1985

There are a million no-hit wonders who’d gladly trade places with these one-hit wonders, which thrilled us for a short time, filling holes in our souls that we didn’t know existed, then got out of the way—voluntarily or otherwise.

Kenneth Partridge, Natalie Zamora




Harvest moon with wheat in front of it

The Harvest Moon has long been connected to gratitude, celebration, and balance. Learn about its meaning and the folklore and traditions that surround it.

Eden Gordon






VH-1 'Divas Live' Press Conference

From Bryan Adams to Whitney Houston, the '90s had a huge range of memorable megahits that remain influential to this day. Learn the stories behind the biggest songs of the '90s here.

Eden Gordon


Before it became everyday advice for staying alert, "keep your eye on the ball" had a much more literal origin. Here’s where the phrase really came from.

Paul Anthony Jones










Two girls celebrating fall with pumpkins in the 1990s, Belarus

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.

Chris Wheatley