Erin McCarthy

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Erin is the Editor-in-Chief of MentalFloss.com, host of The List Show on YouTube, and the creator, executive producer, and host of Mental Floss's History Vs. podcast. She joined Mental Floss in 2012. Previously, she covered everything from natural disasters to bridge engineering to the science behind sci-fi movies for Popular Mechanics magazine. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her karaoking, reading non-fiction, watching Investigation Discovery and hockey (go NYR!), or hanging out with her cats, Oliver and Pearl.

9 Facts About Climbing Mount Meru—And Making a Documentary Out of It

Meet the Tritensil, a New and Improved Version of the Spork

"No, it's not the best fork, it's not the best knife, and it's not the best spoon," designer Scott Barwick confesses. "But the spork is a very difficult design problem, and we've tackled it as best we can."... READ ON

Bizarre-Looking New Species of Anglerfish Discovered

Most deep-sea anglerfish look like creatures from another world, but this new species takes things to a whole new depth of strangeness.... READ ON

Now You Can Eat Crackers Made of Giant Isopods

Not sure what to get the adventurous foodie who’s tried everything from bugs to rotted shark meat? Kazutaka Hasegawa has an idea for you: Crackers made from Bathynomus giganteus—a.k.a. the creepy-but-also-kinda-cute giant isopod.... READ ON

Watch a Computer Program Sing '90s Power Ballads

There's a New Harry Potter Movie Coming! (But It's Not About THAT Harry Potter)

In a bizarre bit of news hitting just as the Boy Who Lived turns 35, we’re getting another Harry Potter movie—just not the Harry Potter movie most of us were were hoping for.... READ ON

35 Things You Might Not Know About Harry Potter

Bone up on your Harry Potter history.... READ ON

Gorgeous Images of Killer Whales from Above

Researchers are using unmanned aerial vehicles to take gorgeous—and scientifically useful—video of northern resident killer whales.... READ ON

'Little Women' is Getting a "Gritty" TV Reboot

17 Bright and Colorful Facts About Lisa Frank

In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Lisa Frank was the epitome of cool. Here are a few things you might not have known about the brand, and the woman behind it.... READ ON

New Species of Carnivorous Plant Discovered in Facebook Photos

Facebook can be used for so much more than stalking your exes. Like, for example, making a scientific discovery.... READ ON

Remembering the Eastland Disaster on its 100th Anniversary

The Science Behind the Nearly Escape-Proof Rooms in 'Race to Escape'

All that stands between a team and a $25,000 grand prize is a series of challenges that, when solved, will unlock a door.... READ ON

8 Fascinating Facts About Seashells

Marine biologist Helen Scales’s 'Spirals in Time: The Secret Life and Curious Afterlife of Seashells' is packed full of interesting facts about seashells and the creatures that create them. Here are just a few you can use to wow fellow sunbathers this summer.... READ ON

18 Creepy Facts about 'Arachnophobia'

This skin-crawling classic turns 25 today.... READ ON

These Teenagers Just Don't Get Encyclopedias

“[Encyclopedias were] Google way back in the day,” one boy says. “It was the worst of times.”... READ ON

19 Fascinating Behind-the-Scenes Facts About the Harry Potter Books

Philip W. Errington’s 'J.K. Rowling: A Bibliography 1997-2013' sheds a light on the editorial process of this beloved series... READ ON

15 Vintage Photos of Nuns Doing Normal Things

They're just like us!... READ ON

The Science of 'Self/Less'

The movie hits theaters today.... READ ON

5 Gorgeous Old Pictures of Seashells

From a new book by the American Museum of Natural History.... READ ON

11 Insane Aquatic Toys You Can Buy

Forget pool noodles and squirt guns—these aquatic accessories will help take your water activities to the next level (provided you can afford them...).... READ ON

Watch This Vending Machine Make Pizza

News broke today that Sprinkles Cupcakes will install New York City's first 24-hour cupcake ATM at its Upper East Side location next week. The unit has a 760 cupcake capacity and can dispense up to four sweet treats at a time. That's pretty cool—but not as cool as a vending machine that makes fresh pizza in under three minutes.... READ ON

New 'Harry Potter' Play Coming to the West End in 2016

"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" will open in London next year.... READ ON

This is What Happens When a Python Tries to Eat a Porcupine

But this meal, the snake's last, was not something as mundane as an impala.... READ ON

15 Post-Harry Potter Revelations from Pottermore

Since J.K. Rowling launched Pottermore in 2012, she's been steadily revealing secrets of the wizarding world.... READ ON

Tips and Tricks for Conquering Bad Breath

28 Historical Photos of Dads Doing Dad Things

Happy Father's Day!... READ ON

Watching Cat Videos Boosts Energy, According to Science

The next time your boss busts you for watching a cat video during work hours, tell him you’re doing it for your well being.... READ ON

First-Person View of a Rocket Falling From Space

Ever wonder what it would be like to be inside a rocket falling to Earth? Look no further than this video.... READ ON

Q&A: Jack Horner on Creating a Genetically Modified Dinosaur for 'Jurassic World'

The genetic-hybrid dinosaur Jack Horner created for 'Jurassic World' is lot more terrifying than his own (still hypothetical) dino-chicken.... READ ON

Make this Delicious-Looking Ice Cream in Just Two Steps

No cooking required.... READ ON

13 Creatures that Could Show Up in ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’

Thanks to a book version of 'Fantastic Beasts,' with Rowling writing as Scamander, we can get a glimpse at some of the creatures that might make cameos in the new film. Here are a few that seem particularly cinematic.... READ ON

11 Items for an Awesome Picnic

It's picnic season! Grab this gear to make sure your friends are talking about your picnic for many summers to come.... READ ON

6 Awesome Things Bill Murray Has Done

Netflix just put out this teaser for Bill Murray's Christmas special. If it leaves you wanting more, you're in the right place.... READ ON

Where NASA Tests Hardware Bound for Space

A Brief History of LA's "Witch House"

7 Tips for Better Barbecue from a BBQ Master

Original 'War of the Worlds' Illustrations Up for Auction

When Henrique Alvim Corrêa read H.G. Wells’ 'The War of the Worlds' in 1903, he couldn’t help but pick up a pencil.... READ ON

5 Awesome Things Identified at the American Museum of Natural History's ID Day

6 Tips for a Better Margarita

Q&A: Morgan Freeman and James Younger, Executive Producers of 'Through the Wormhole'

Pop Chart Lab Creates Awesome Harry Potter Poster for Pottermore

10 Awesome Rick Baker-Created Movie Props You Can Buy

You Could Own This Idyllic (But Haunted) Ghost Town

Johnsonville is still on the market!... READ ON

13 Facts About 'A Prayer for Owen Meany'

Author John Irving’s book about a boy with a “wrecked voice” who believes he’s an instrument of God is a staple on high school summer reading lists. Here are a few things you might not have known about it.... READ ON

Why Are Hammerheads' Heads Shaped Like That?

How does a hammer-shaped head, with eyes on each end, help the shark survive?... READ ON

A Visual History of Hockey Jerseys on One Awesome Poster

What We Can Learn From the Earth's Tiniest Fossils

Watch High-Speed MRI Images of Someone Singing "If I Only Had a Brain"

Clear Waters of Lake Michigan Reveal Shipwrecks

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