Thomas Edison’s Nightmare Dolls

Over a century after Thomas Edison introduced the world's first talking dolls, their restored voice recordings sound like the stuff of nightmares.

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When even the wait for Chinese takeout is too long, why not try the "Three Second Cooking" method of preparing gyoza? Warning: do not actually try at home.

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When George F. Cram illustrated a sort of 1880s proto-infographic of the "Principal High Buildings of the Old World," the tallest landmark on the planet was the Washington Monument—which is now a teeny-tiny speck compared to today's tallest buildings.

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The list of suspicious behaviors that could get airport-goers marked as potential terrorists is long and oddly specific. Leave your almanacs at home, mental_floss readers.

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A new museum exhibit offers a photographic glimpse at late artist Frida Kahlo's belongings—possessions like sunglasses, nail polish, and even a decorated prosthetic leg that were as colorful as her best creative work.

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Airbnb isn't just the place to go for cheap vacation apartment rentals; it's also the go-to resource for seriously unique rooming options like an eco-friendly bamboo cottage in Indonesia, a restored windmill with outdoor pool in Greece, or a New Zealand B&B shaped like a boot.

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Two years, one gastric bypass surgery, and 150 pounds later, one woman and her photographer friend have completed a clever, inspiring project that lends new meaning to the idea of before and after photos.

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This is apparently NOT the correct way to survive an earthquake.