Ellen Gutoskey

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Ellen Gutoskey is a Mental Floss staff writer who especially loves covering pop culture, not-so-popular culture, literature, really tiny things, really giant things, and anything that was previously thought to be lost. She used to work in publishing, she's usually laughing, and you can follow her on Twitter @ellengutoskey.

The Classic Novel That Is Most Often Abandoned By Readers

Happy Book Lovers Day! Let's have a moment of silence for those books that never get finished (and another for the stack on your shelf that you haven’t even started).... READ ON

The Reason Why Baking Makes You Feel Good, According to Psychologists

It’s not just biting into a still-warm chocolate chip cookie that makes you feel good—the act of baking can do that, too.... READ ON

The LEGO Central Perk Set for the 25th Anniversary of Friends

Reenact a 'Smelly Cat' concert by Phoebe or your own favorite laugh-out-loud scene with LEGO’s latest incredible 'Friends' set.... READ ON

11 Weird Place Names From Around the World

Is Eggs and Bacon Bay as delicious as it sounds? Will the Disappointment Islands disappoint you? Find out here.... READ ON

San Francisco International Airport Bans Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles

Don’t forget your reusable water bottle if you’re planning a trip in or out of the San Francisco airport after August 19.... READ ON

Watch a 70-Pound Python Queen Lay an Enormous Clutch of Eggs

You can follow African rock python Squeeze’s journey to motherhood on Smithsonian Channel's new special ‘Queen of the Pythons.’... READ ON

Nine Lost Proust Stories and Novellas Will Be Published for the First Time This Fall

Marcel Proust wasn’t known for brevity, but for some reason he decided to cut these rather risqué pages from his first book.... READ ON

How to Change an Error in Your Name on an Airline Ticket

Even airline authorities understand that everybody makes mistakes—but it’s better to catch them early.... READ ON

Therapy Ponies Are Bringing ‘Comfort and Joy’ to Dementia Patients

The latest superstar emotional support animals are a herd of Shetland ponies visiting patients in Scotland.... READ ON

Iceland Has Seen a Massive Decline in Tourism Due to the Demise of WOW Air

With the collapse of WOW air, the days of those insanely low-priced flights to Iceland are effectively over.... READ ON

The Reason You Shouldn’t Kill the Spiders in Your House, According to an Entomologist

Even if you don’t usually see them, spiders are likely always in your house. And they’re paying rent, sort of.... READ ON

The Reason Why Lobsters Turn Bright Red When You Boil Them

It isn't a result of burning them alive, in case the guilt was putting a damper on your delicious seafood feast.... READ ON

Scientists Are Creating a 3D Model of an 18th-Century ‘Vampire Witch’ Who Was Tortured to Death

Archaeologists plan to use the 3D model to find out exactly what the woman’s face looked like, warts and all.... READ ON

The Words Pride and Prejudice Had Slightly Different Meanings in Jane Austen’s Time

If Jane Austen had written 'Pride and Prejudice' today, she might have titled it 'Being Arrogant and Jumping to Conclusions' instead.... READ ON

This Scratch-Off Poster Lets You Keep Track of All the Van Gogh Paintings You’ve Seen

From Vincent van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’ in New York City to ‘Portrait of Dr. Gachet’ in Paris, this is the most beautiful bucket list ever.... READ ON

A Rediscovered John Steinbeck Story About a Chef and His Cat Has Been Published in English for the First Time

The ‘Ratatouille’-esque story is about a French chef who seeks a Michelin star with the help of his taste-testing cat Apollo.... READ ON

Siri—and the Humans Behind Her—Might Have Heard Some of Your Most Private Moments

Siri hears “Hey Siri” by accident fairly often, and Apple contractors listen to some of those recordings.... READ ON

Celebrate Herman Melville’s 200th Birthday With This Marvelous Moby-Dick Pop-Up Book

Stunning 3D illustrations are paired with quotes from the classic tale of a whale—the perfect centerpiece for your coffee table.... READ ON

10 Illuminating Online Courses You Can Take in August

From mastering mindfulness to making macarons, there’s an online class on this list for every type of student.... READ ON

The Reason Why Members of the Royal Family Must Always Travel With One All-Black Outfit

It all began in 1952 when then-Princess Elizabeth was caught without a black outfit when the circumstances called for one.... READ ON

Coolhaus Is Serving French’s Mustard Ice Cream This Week In Honor of National Mustard Day

Here’s to hoping that the bright yellow, tangy dessert joins the ranks of other bizarre food mashups like pineapple on pizza and fries in milkshakes.... READ ON

Bring Harry Potter Home This Holiday Season With a Christmas Tree Topper That Plays “Hedwig’s Theme”

The Hogwarts-shaped Christmas decoration is part of Hallmark’s Harry Potter collection, which you absolutely need.... READ ON

Watch the World’s First Underwater Film Footage, Which Features a Shark and a Dead Horse

Recently unearthed footage shows that people have been obsessed with shark attacks since long before ‘Shark Week’ began.... READ ON

The Library of Congress Needs Help Transcribing 16,000 Pages of Suffragist Diaries, Letters, and Documents

Donate your time and typing skills to transcribe documents featuring Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and more.... READ ON

This Harry Potter-Themed Airbnb Rental in Atlanta Can Sleep Up to Eight People for Less Than $100 Per Night

The magical Airbnb listing boasts Harry Potter books, board games, broomsticks, bedspreads, and so much more.... READ ON

Why the McDonald’s Logo Uses the Colors Yellow and Red

No, the golden arches don’t represent two giant bendy French fries on a background of ketchup, but good try.... READ ON

Ghost Adventures Host Zak Bagans Just Purchased a Charles Manson Murder House

The day after Sharon Tate’s 1969 murder, Charles Manson’s cult struck again, killing the LaBiancas in their Los Angeles home. Almost 50 years later, the LaBiancas' house just got bought by a master ghost-hunter.... READ ON

A Pair of Loons in Wisconsin Have Adopted a Baby Mallard Duck—and the Result Is As Adorable As Expected

The adoptive parents are teaching their duck how to be a loon, and the results are a little (dare we say it?) loony.... READ ON

Deal Alert: You Can Get 20% Off Harry Potter-Themed Subscription Boxes This Week

Cratejoy is celebrating Harry Potter’s birthday on July 31 with a magical deal on subscription boxes through August 1.... READ ON

Cover Your Ears: Baby Shark Cereal Is Coming

The viral Pinkfong song is coming to a kitchen table near you in the form of berry-flavored loops and marshmallows.... READ ON

Apollo 11 Astronauts Are Being Honored With Butter Sculptures at the Ohio State Fair

This year, the Ohio State Fair’s legen-dairy butter display will include uncannily lifelike sculptures of Apollo 11’s Moon walkers.... READ ON

Belgium to Unveil a 250-Ton Steel Sculpture—Europe’s Largest Public Artwork—35 Years After France Rejected It

Bernar Venet’s work, which was originally blocked by a local French politician in 1984, is taller than Christ the Redeemer and the Statue of Liberty.... READ ON

This Handy Laundry Bag Will Keep Your Sneakers From Clanging Around in the Washer and Dryer

Keep your ears happy while your sneakers get clean with this laundry bag that attaches to the machine’s door.... READ ON

Wednesday Was the Busiest Air Travel Day Ever Tracked

Swedish flight-tracking service Flightradar24 recently announced the news on Twitter—but it’s possible the record could be broken again within the week.... READ ON

CamelBak’s Ingenious Reign Sport Bottle Lets You Douse Yourself With Water When It Gets Too Hot

The new best water bottle lets you enjoy an on-the-go miniature shower without wasting your water or making a mess.... READ ON

Meet the Two Women Who Give Prescription Drugs Their Generic Names

The Chicago-based women name about 200 generic drugs per year, and the naming process is very scientific … sometimes.... READ ON

You Can Now Buy Dr. Pimple Popper’s Skincare Products at Target

Dr. Sandra Lee has brought seven acne-fighting products from her acclaimed SLMD Skincare line to an aisle near you.... READ ON

Tennessee Police Department Comes Clean, Admits That Meth-Gators Are Not Real

After its Facebook post about possible drug-addicted alligators went viral earlier this month, the Loretto Police Department clarified that it was just a joke.... READ ON

Humongous, Chihuahua-Sized Species of Flying Squirrel Has Been Discovered in China

The new species belongs to a very endangered, mysterious genus of giant flying squirrels that each weigh as much as a small dog.... READ ON

No Plunger, No Problem: How to Unclog a Toilet Without a Plunger

Clogged toilet and no plunger in sight? Don’t panic—here are five troubleshooting methods using household items.... READ ON

Here's Why You Should Always Tip Your Delivery Driver With Cash

It’s not always clear how tips get factored into delivery drivers’ wages for services like DoorDash and UberEats, so we break it down for you.... READ ON

Want to Reduce Your Stress In 10 Minutes? Pet a Cat or Dog

A new study shows that those puppy-playtime programs colleges host during finals season can actually be effective in just a few minutes.... READ ON

World War II’s First Telegram Will Be Auctioned Off Later This Month

A week before Germany invaded Poland, Hitler organized and then called off a series of border skirmishes. This telegram shows that one Nazi didn’t get the memo.... READ ON

The 5 Sweetest Ice Cream Makers for National Ice Cream Month

Skip the sweaty trek to the store and treat yourself to one of these top-notch homemade ice cream makers.... READ ON

Atlanta’s High Museum Has Launched a ‘Dating App’ to Match Visitors With the Perfect Artwork

The web app, called Heartmatch, lets you swipe right on artworks and then gives you a personalized High Museum map so you can go meet your matches.... READ ON

England Is Being Invaded By a Swarm of Flying Ants That Can Be Seen From Space

The radar picked up some rain showers on England’s southern coast. But it was actually billions of flying ants.... READ ON

Aluminum Cans vs. Plastic Bottles: Which Is Worse for the Environment?

Between aluminum and plastic containers, one material is probably worse for environmental health. You might be surprised which one it is.... READ ON

The Safest Seats on an Airplane Are The Ones That Passengers Really, Really Hate

Two different studies analyzed fatality rates from a selection of plane crashes and came to the same conclusion.... READ ON

Chimpanzees Bond by Watching Movies Together, Too

A new study shows that we’re less special than we thought: Apes can connect with each other by watching movies just like us.... READ ON

A New Jersey Pizzeria Is Using Its Delivery Boxes to Help Find Missing Pets

A New Jersey pizzeria owner’s modern spin on the old milk carton idea involves two of your favorite things: pizza and pets.... READ ON

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