Jake Rossen

Jake Rossen is a senior staff writer for Mental Floss.

Late 'MythBusters' Star Grant Imahara Honored With Educational Foundation

Grant Imahara, who passed away in July at age 49, is the namesake of The Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation, which will help bring opportunities to students.... READ ON

Wa Wa Wee Wa: The Origin of Borat's Favorite Catchphrase

The pervasive slang term was everywhere following the 2006 release of 'Borat.' But it isn't made up.... READ ON

Common Tombstone Symbol Meanings

"RIP" has a pretty obvious meaning, but some tombstone symbols—like a corn husk or a camel—can be a little puzzling.... READ ON

What Happens When Food Goes Down the 'Wrong Pipe'?

It's a bit of an oversimplification, but the food you eat really can take a wrong turn before it hits your stomach.... READ ON

Squirrels Are Assaulting Porch Pumpkins Across the Country

The rodents have taken to noshing on pumpkins this Halloween season, but there are a few ways you can fight back.... READ ON

Kurt Russell Actor Facts

Kurt Russell, the actor famous for films like 'Escape From New York' and 'The Thing,' once had a close encounter with a UFO he didn't publicly discuss for decades.... READ ON

See What Each State Is Googling This Halloween Season

While pumpkins and horror movies are common, you'd be surprised at what Maine residents are looking for.... READ ON

Facts About Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme—a.k.a. The "Muscles from Brussels"—has had a long and storied career full of highs and lows, including the time he threw a papaya at a producer's head.... READ ON

'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' TV Puppets Auction

The original stop-motion puppets used in the production of the 1964 holiday special have been in private hands for decades. They can now be your most expensive holiday decoration ever.... READ ON

Spirit Halloween Employee Secrets

The seasonal workers of the most popular Halloween shop in the country share stories of messy customers, employee perks, and URP (Unexplained Retail Phenomena).... READ ON

Why Do Some Vaccines Hurt More Than Others?

Some shots can barely be felt while others feel like you've been punched in the arm. Is it technique, the vaccine, or something else?... READ ON

Machu Picchu Reopened for One Stranded Japanese Tourist

Jesse Katayama was determined to see the famed 15th-century Inca fortress that's been closed due to coronavirus, so he did yoga and taught boxing to pass the time until he was allowed to enter.... READ ON

What Is a Gigafire?

The August Complex fire ravaging California is being called a "gigafire," and it's every bit as imposing and destructive as the name implies.... READ ON

How to Cancel Your Gym Membership Without Breaking a Sweat

Gym contracts can be difficult to walk away from. If you're looking to switch facilities or just don't feel comfortable going in light of the pandemic, these tips may help.... READ ON

Ghostwatch: The BBC Halloween Hoax That Traumatized Viewers

'Ghostwatch,' a 1992 broadcast of a supposedly haunted house, led to documented cases of PTSD in young viewers.... READ ON

The Reason It's So Hard to Spot Your Own Typos

Errors in writing aren't easy to detect when you're proofreading your own work. The problem is your brain.... READ ON

The Most Valuable Horror Movie Props

The axe used by Jack Nicholson in 1980's 'The Shining' recently sold for $209,000. A crew member originally took it home so he could chop wood with it.... READ ON

Dolly Parton Has Partnered With Williams Sonoma to Launch a Line of Holiday-Themed Home Goods

The popular singer and songwriter is offering cookie baking kits, aprons, and a gingerbread house shaped like the log cabin she grew up in.... READ ON

Tour the Real Camp Crystal Lake From 'Friday the 13th'

The site is actually a real Boy Scouts camp in Hardwick, New Jersey, and organizers are allowing for a socially-distanced touring schedule—in the dark.... READ ON

MD vs. DO: What's the Difference?

Some people are confused by the DO designation for health care providers, but it's not really so unusual.... READ ON

How 'Pepper's Ghost' Became the Toast of Victorian London

In the mid-1800s, John Henry Pepper was a superstar in science demonstrations. Then he helped usher in a dramatic special effect that left Victorian London awestruck.... READ ON

Norwegians May Hold the Secret to Braving a Winter Lockdown

Learning to think like a Norwegian may help Americans cope with a winter made harder by the pandemic.... READ ON

Bizarre Halloween-Related Lawsuits

Every so often, Halloween celebrations can get a little out of hand. That's when the courts have to intervene, scaring everyone with summary judgments.... READ ON

Throwback: The Garbage Pail Kids

For a few years in the 1980s, kids were obsessed with the Garbage Pail Kids, a bunch of snot-covered characters with names like Messy Tessie and Acne Amy.... READ ON

How to Explain Being Fired in a Job Interview

Talking about being fired can be uncomfortable, but there's a simple way to discuss it without being defensive.... READ ON

World’s Tiniest Rubik’s Cube Will Cost You $1700

Standing just .39 inches tall, this 40th anniversary Rubik's Cube is currently only available in Japan.... READ ON

Swearing Parrots Have Been Removed From an England Zoo

Five African grey parrots have been put in solitary bird confinement after they failed to control their excessive swearing tirades, including telling visitors to "f*ck off."... READ ON

Your Tattoos Could Be Messing With Your Sweat Glands

A small study found that inked skin has a reduced ability to cool itself off, pointing to possible damage to sweat glands.... READ ON

UFO Sightings Are Up 51 Percent During the COVID-19 Pandemic

With more time to stargaze, people have reported more than 5000 sightings of unidentified flying objects so far in 2020.... READ ON

'Fargo' TV Show Facts

Noah Hawley's FX hit is not the first time 'Fargo' has been adapted for television. That happened all the way back in 1997.... READ ON

Chuck E. Cheese's Origin Story Is Depressing

Chuck E. Cheese loves to celebrate birthdays, and for good reason: He's an orphan who doesn't know when he was born.... READ ON

Why Do Dogs Bury Things?

Dogs can tear up a lawn with an overwhelming desire to dig and bury things. Where does that impulse come from, and what do they think they're accomplishing?... READ ON

David Fincher's 'Se7en' Movie Facts

Few expected that David Fincher's 'Se7en'—from a first-time screenwriter and an as-yet-unproven director—would turn out to be a modern genre classic.... READ ON

A Man Died From Eating Too Much Black Licorice

The 54-year-old consumed one-and-a-half bags of black licorice a day for weeks before his heart stopped. An ingredient in the treat is to blame.... READ ON

When Mike Tyson Bit Evander Holyfield

When Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield met for a second time on June 28, 1997, Tyson gave the crowd plenty to chew on.... READ ON

United Airlines Now Has an Interactive Map to Keep Track of COVID-19 Restrictions While You Travel

The map tells you which states or regions require quarantines for visitors coming from out of the area.... READ ON

Veterans Day 2020: What's Open? What's Closed?

The federal holiday can prompt changes in business hours and government office closures. Here's what's open and what isn't.... READ ON

How Keanu Reeves Was Tricked Into Making 'The Watcher'

The 2000 thriller 'The Watcher' featured Keanu Reeves as a serial killer taunting James Spader. Reeves later said a friend of his forged his signature on the contract.... READ ON

Coronavirus Face Masks and Halloween

You can still dress up in freaky costumes and hoard candy this Halloween. It just takes a little planning.... READ ON

Paqui Tortilla Chips, the World's Spiciest Chip, Is Sold One to a Customer

For those who like to punish their mucus membranes, this single tortilla chip is made from the Carolina Reaper Pepper. It's as bad as it sounds.... READ ON

How Clean Is the Air on an Airplane?

The coronavirus has brought new attention to air quality on airplanes. And while it's better than you think, there are still risks to consider.... READ ON

When Kim Jong-il Kidnapped Two of South Korea's Biggest Stars

Former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was once in charge of propaganda films for his country, and he decided to recruit some A-list talent the easy way: by abducting them.... READ ON

Smoke From West Coast Wildfires Has Reached the Netherlands

The combination of the raging fires and a jet stream has led to smoke from the West Coast wildfires moving across the Northeast and has even tinted the sky in Europe.... READ ON

Why Politicians Need to Say 'I Approve This Message' in Their Ads

Anyone running for federal office is required to endorse their own television ads. While it's supposed to make their political statements more honest, it might be having the opposite effect.... READ ON

The Best Stephen King Movies and TV Shows to Stream

The modern master of horror is experiencing a resurgence in both theaters and on television. Check out these 12 Stephen King adaptations worth your time.... READ ON

Woodpeckers Fight, and Other Birds Like to Watch

Groups of warring woodpeckers butt heads over territory and acorns. Other woodpeckers fly in from miles away to witness their avian prizefights.... READ ON

'The Golden Girls' Shot Glasses For Sale

The four-glass set features the likenesses of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia and even has a golden tint to it.... READ ON

Why Do Dogs Run in Their Sleep?

Dogs tend to get a little exercise in even when they're resting. Is it really because they're dreaming about running?... READ ON

Agatha Christie Facts

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

Are Killer Whales Attacking Boats?

Killer whales have repeatedly laid siege to boats, working in concert in what appear to be deliberate acts of aggression.... READ ON

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