Mental Floss

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Bussers are an important part of restaurants.

What do the terms “busser” and “busing a table” have to do with public transportation? Nothing, it turns out.

Now and Then (1995) • Truth or Dare/Fight Scene [4K]

Critics might have panned the film—Roger Ebert said it was “made of artificial bits and pieces”—but audiences loved it, and now it’s a beloved cult classic. Ahead of its 30th anniversary in October, here’s what you need to know about ‘Now and Then.’

That wood-burning stove on the left is a potential health hazard.

It may feel nostalgic, but its affects on your health and the local environment are far from comforting.

Scroll down for a map you can enlarge.

From Execution Rocks and Devil’s Den to Skull Mesa and Maggoty Run—plus, how these spots came by their terrifying monikers.

If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.

You can probably guess which is the most Googled.

Which Jane Austen books is the internet obsessed with?

Ken Jennings.

All five answers to the questions below have something in common. Can you figure it out?

This spider is still very much alive.

We explain the science behind the answer.

Fires have prompted a number of safety regulations.

From tragic factory fires to toxic food scandals, some safety laws we may take for granted today actually have some pretty unsettling backstories.

Ever wonder where the name ‘Snickers’ came from?

Surprise: Milky Way wasn’t named after our home galaxy. Let’s take a brief stroll down the etymological candy aisle and discover how these confections got named.

What a hearty meal.

Warning: This map may cause pizza cravings.

Alien visitors or swamp gas?

How many people need to see the same UFO for it to be “real”?

Who wouldn't want to tuck into a bowl of golden-brown, crispy hush puppies?

Hush puppies might seem like a simple side dish, but they carry a pretty interesting history.

Open book with silhouettes of graveyard and zombie hands with full Moon. Halloween still life with

Add these books to your TBR this spooky season.

Pumpkin beer has a long and spicy history.

The first pumpkin ales were brewed back in the 17th century as a beer of last resort. Today, they're part of a multimillion-dollar, fall-flavored industry.

The sky‘s the limit with costume options.

Haven‘t picked a costume yet? Get some inspiration from this list.

What‘s leaving air pockets in your sandwich cheese?

Learn the science behind the holes in Swiss cheese.

Another excuse to plunge back into the world of Westeros.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Tales of Dunk and Egg, the ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel novellas that inspired HBO’s upcoming adaptation.

They could be medieval artifacts.

Talk about a historic find.

Can you figure it out?

This riddle comes from a book published in 1868—can you figure out the answer?

The cover of ‘ ’Salem’s Lot.’

King’s sophomore novel left out a scene deemed too horrific to leave in.

Francine with two Lowe’s employees.

Francine the cat went missing for a while in a different city. Now she‘s back home.

‘Tron’ was one of the earliest examples of CGI filmmaking.

The original’s July 1982 release date was selected just to mess with an ex-employee.

‘Clue’ is getting the TV adaptation treatment.

Players must find out who dunnit for a cash reward.