

Erin McCarthy
Joined: Nov 21, 2012
Erin is the Editor-in-Chief of MentalFloss.com, host of The List Show and Throwback on YouTube, editor of Mental Floss's book The Curious Reader, and the creator, executive producer, and host of the 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. Her work has appeared in O: The Oprah Magazine, Town and Country, Parents, and Esquire. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her karaoking, reading, or hanging out with her cats, Oliver and Pearl. She lives in New York.


10 of the Most Powerful Protest Songs of All Time

20 Facts You Need to Know About ‘The Bear’

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #43
How Did the Tony Awards Get Their Name?
They were named after a real icon of the American theatre.
10 Real-Life Sunken Cities
Forget Atlantis (which probably doesn’t exist)—we’re taking a trip to 10 real cities that ended up underwater.
History Vs. Bonus Episode: Fact Checking Theodore Roosevelt
In this final bonus episode of History Vs., Erin and Mental Floss fact checker Austin Thompson discuss the challenges and delights of tracking down the truth about Theodore Roosevelt—and bust some TR myths, too. Learn more about your ad-choices at https
History Vs. Bonus Episode: The Statue
In this special episode, we’re taking a look at the statue of Theodore Roosevelt outside the American Museum of Natural History: Its history, what the artists intended, and why it’s controversial today. Plus, we’ll revisit Roosevelt’s thinking on race and
History Vs. Bonus Episode: Theodore Roosevelt and the Round-Robin Letter Incident
Theodore Roosevelt has been in the news lately, thanks to a ship with a cargo of coronavirus and a leaked letter to the navy. But more than 100 years ago, TR—that ship's namesake—engaged in a controversial letter-writing campaign of his own, one that ince
History Vs. Bonus Episode: The Case of the Missing Colt .38
In 1990, Theodore Roosevelt's double-action revolver—the one he'd used during the Battle of San Juan Heights—was stolen from Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. It wouldn't come back to the museum for another 16 years.
History Vs. Podcast Bonus Episode: Theodore Roosevelt vs. Bigfoot
In his 1893 book The Wilderness Hunter, TR wrote about what he called "a goblin story that really impressed" him. Mental Floss Science Editor Kat Long joins Erin to discuss "The Bauman Incident." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.co
History Vs. Episode 11: History Vs. Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt was a man who never stopped fighting. He grappled with his own physical deficiencies, railed against corruption, and always fought to move the nation forward in the way he thought best. One-hundred-and-one years after his death, where c
History Vs. Bonus Episode: Theodore Roosevelt Vs. Christmas Trees
Theodore Roosevelt loved Christmas, but the Roosevelt family never had a Christmas tree. If you believe the stories, it's because TR, an avid conservationist, had banned them—and that ban is supposedly what led his son, Archie, to sneak a tree into the Wh
History Vs. Episode 5: Theodore Roosevelt Vs. Language
Shakespeare might be the most prolific English phrase-maker, but Theodore Roosevelt coined a few iconic phrases of his own, including “like nailing jelly to a wall.” He could read in French, German, Italian, and Latin, but thought English should be the on
History Vs. Podcast Episode 2: Theodore Roosevelt Vs. Time
When he was president, Theodore Roosevelt could fit eight meetings in an hour—that’s 7.5 minutes for each one. By the time he entered office, Roosevelt had had a fair bit of experience racing against time and coming out ahead: From studying unde
26 Things You Might Not Have Known About ‘Hamilton’
The groundbreaking Broadway show turns 10 this year, so here are a few things you might not have known about Lin-Manuel Miranda’s take on the life and times of the $10 founding father.