Jake Rossen

Jake Rossen is a senior staff writer for Mental Floss.

A History of Iron-On Transfers for T-Shirts

The colorful, fun, and sometimes lurid decals were all the rage in the 1960s and 1970s. They also gave kids a chance to play with a hot iron.... READ ON

Every Upcoming Marvel Movie Release Date for 2021 and Beyond

The superhero franchise went dark for 2020 but is set to come back in a big way, with immortals, multiverses, and more Groot.... READ ON

A Scandalous History of Speedos

Speedos, the famously ultra-tight swimming attire, showed so much leg on the conservative beaches of 1961 Australia that men were arrested.... READ ON

Steven Seagal's 'Bulletproof' Arizona Home Is for Sale

The 'Under Siege' actor and ponytail enthusiast is selling his Scottsdale home with a unique perk: The windows are made of bulletproof glass.... READ ON

Cats Even Love Imaginary Boxes

Breaking new cat research proves that a cat will settle in on a square drawn on the floor. Why? Because it's a cat.... READ ON

11 Actors Who Played Their Own Relatives

Taking on another person's identity is hard, but playing a family member presents a different kind of challenge for actors.... READ ON

A Chicken Wing Shortage Is Upon Us

Bad weather, pandemic demand, and Popeyes have all conspired to double the price of chicken wings this year.... READ ON

15 Facts About Agatha Christie

With over 2 billion copies of her books in print, British novelist Agatha Christie has kept countless readers up into the early morning hours.... READ ON

The Reason Hotel Sheets and Towels Are White

Hotel guests are almost always treated to vibrant white sheets. And no, it's not because it's easier to see bedbugs.... READ ON

Why Do Some Dogs Have a Pocket in Their Ears?

It's called a cutaneous marginal pouch, and while science is a little uncertain of its true purpose, it can double as a B&B for ticks.... READ ON

'Threads': The 1984 BBC Movie That Shocked Viewers

The 1984 made-for-television movie 'Threads' depicted a post-nuclear wasteland that forced some viewers to look away from the screen.... READ ON

A Rare Calico Lobster Found Its Way to a Virginia Red Lobster

The spotted lobster was dubbed 'Freckles' and was spared a typical lobster's fate, winding up on display rather than on a plate.... READ ON

The (Sort of) True Story Behind 'The Blob'

The 1958 horror film 'The Blob' features a malevolent muck terrorizing a town. It turns out there's a history of unidentified space goo causing confusion.... READ ON

16 Secrets of Amazon Warehouse Employees

Current and former Amazon fulfillment center associates talk everything from the perils of shipping kitty litter to sharing work space with artificial intelligence: "The robots will not stop for anything."... READ ON

How to Make Your Socks Last Longer

Socks can develop holes, rips, and loose elastic almost from the moment you open the package. It doesn't have to be this way.... READ ON

The Only House on a Small Rhode Island Landmass Can Be Yours

The cottage at 0 Patience Way is tucked into a 200-acre island in Rhode Island. Your only neighbors: rabbits.... READ ON

Why Transporting Rhinos Upside-Down Is 'Vital' to Their Conservation

Seeing a rhino hanging upside-down from a helicopter might make you uncomfortable, but it's indisputably a good thing for the rhino.... READ ON

How Do Self-Cleaning Ovens Work?

You may not use the self-cleaning feature on your oven. If you do, be aware that it gets very, very hot and can kill your pet bird. (Seriously.)... READ ON

JNCO Jeans: A Brief History

Teens went wild for these ultra-baggy jeans in the 1990s. Parents and other adults feared this wide-legged rebellion could have dire consequences.... READ ON

Dormie, the Dog Who Went on Trial for Cat Murder

In 1921, an Airedale Terrier named Dormie captured national attention by becoming the first dog to be put on trial for (cat) murder. And yes, he had a lawyer.... READ ON

McJordan Special: When McDonald's Served Up a Michael Jordan Burger

In the early 1990s, McDonald's made a direct appeal to Chicago Bulls fans by naming a modified Quarter Pounder after star player Michael Jordan. It wasn't sold in Boston.... READ ON

The Reason Why Aluminum Bats Aren't Allowed in MLB

You won't see any synthetic bats in Major League Baseball. The technology would change the game, and not necessarily for the better.... READ ON

8 Facts About Movie Theater Snacks

When movie theaters are open for business, snacks make up nearly half of their profits. But when movie houses first cropped up, managers banned food outright.... READ ON

5 Things to Know About Your COVID-19 Vaccination Card

The COVID-19 vaccination card provides information about your vaccination status. While you don't need to put it in a bank vault, there are some things to keep in mind.... READ ON

One Bad Review Sinks 'Citizen Kane' on Rotten Tomatoes

The 1941 pan by a 'Chicago Tribune' reviewer has blemished the flawless 100 percent score for 'Citizen Kane' on the review aggregator site.... READ ON

10 Fascinating Facts About J.D. Salinger

Acclaimed novelist J.D. Salinger once gave an interview for a high school newspaper, and also drank his own pee, but probably not at the same time.... READ ON

The Best Horror Movies on Netflix

From serial killers to psychological thrillers, these flicks are guaranteed to rattle your nerves—and are all just a click away on Netflix.... READ ON

Why Do We Say Something Is 'Brand-New' or 'Brand-Spanking New'?

What does branding or spanking have to do with whether something is factory-new or not? We investigate.... READ ON

10 of the Most Valuable Modern Sports Rookie Cards

If you had the foresight to grab a 2003 Dwyane Wade rookie card in 2018 for $2918, you're in luck. Thanks to the exploding sports card market, it's now going for $115,000.... READ ON

Books That Will (Probably) Never Be Printed Again

Unless you're willing to spend hundreds of dollars at used bookstores, these titles won't be part of your library anytime soon.... READ ON

A History of Fire Poles, and Why They're Now Disappearing

The iconic brass pole has been a fixture of fire departments for more than a century, but it might be more dangerous than it's worth.... READ ON

Why Do We Call Kindergarten 'Kindergarten'?

This very German word became embedded in the American vernacular—but not before German politicians tried to ban kindergarten entirely.... READ ON

Why Do Movie Trailers Give So Much Away?

Movie previews can reveal big plot points or moments that can spoil everything. So why do studios do it?... READ ON

The Reason Why Dogs Go Wild After a Bath

Dogs tend to sprint like Olympians after escaping from the tub. What prompts this kind of canine behavior?... READ ON

The 12 Best TV Shows on Amazon's Prime Video Right Now

From 'Undone' to 'The Boys' to 'Fleabag,' Amazon's streaming service has something binge-worthy for every taste.... READ ON

A Brief History of 'Unsolved Mysteries'

Join us. Perhaps you can help solve a mystery—or at least dive into the mysteries behind 'Unsolved Mysteries.'... READ ON

When Dr. Demento Ruled the Airwaves

Radio personality Dr. Demento spent four decades curating weird novelty songs for an enraptured audience—including a young "Weird" Al Yankovic.... READ ON

Smartwool Apparel Company Will Turn Your Old Socks into Dog Beds

Colorado-based Smartwool is trying to cut down on textile waste by accepting busted socks and recycling them into dog beds.... READ ON

Why Do We Celebrate Earth Day On April 22?

The annual celebration raises awareness of environmental issues. But who decided we should mobilize on April 22?... READ ON

6 Things You Didn't Know You Could Put in the Dishwasher

The ubiquitous home appliance can do more than just dishes. It can also scrub oven mitts and get your spuds sparkling.... READ ON

Why Do Retail Stores Have Such High Ceilings?

There's a surprising reason stores like consumers to have plenty of space above their heads. According to science, it's giving them room to think.... READ ON

Surprising Facts About Jane Austen

More than 200 years after her death, English novelist Jane Austen continues to be celebrated for her sharp, biting prose on love's various entanglements.... READ ON

Why Do Dresses and Jeans Have Fake Pockets?

The illusion of a pocket has a lot to do with gender biases, fitting rooms, and the habits of the fashion industry.... READ ON

How an Octopus Regrows Its Arms

The cephalopod is strikingly intelligent, but its most spectacular talent may be its ability to fully regrow arms lost to predators.... READ ON

When United Airlines Promoted Men-Only Flights

From 1953 to 1970, United Airlines offered a daily flight out of New York that catered exclusively to male passengers. The National Organization for Women (NOW) was having none of it.... READ ON

The UK Is Facing a Garden Gnome Shortage

The cheerful garden creatures are in short supply thanks to production issues and shipping constraints, leaving many a UK garden gnomeless.... READ ON

Why Cats Like to Chew on Plastic—and How to Stop Them

Cats can often be found munching on plastic items, especially bags. Here's why they do it, and why they shouldn't.... READ ON

Why Some Businesses Refer to Customers as 'Guests'

Step into a Target or Walgreens and you might be labeled a 'guest.' The practice probably started for a very Goofy reason.... READ ON

A Ketchup Packet Shortage Is Squeezing America

The single-serve ketchup packets that had been dumped into takeout bags with abandon are now fetching premium prices on eBay.... READ ON

Remembering David Manning, Sony's Fake Film Critic

In 2001, Sony was accused of enlisting a fake movie critic to rave about films like Rob Schneider's 'The Animal.' But was Manning really a figment of someone's imagination?... READ ON

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