Mental Floss

ALL STORIES









The phrase "put a sock in it" has been telling people to quiet down for more than a century. Here's the most likely story behind the expression.

Chris Wheatley






Fireworks for the feast of Rome's Patron Saints Peter and Paul

Accidents, the search for immortality, and war may have all played roles in the development of these aerial attractions. Here's how the word "fireworks" came to be.

Eden Gordon