Bess Lovejoy

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Bess Lovejoy is a staff editor at Mental Floss, a former editor at Smithsonian.com and Schott's Almanac, and the author of Rest in Pieces: The Curious Fates of Famous Corpses.

The Russian Countess Who Wanted Company in Her Tomb

Did the Russian aristocrat Elisabeth Demidoff really offer the family fortune to anyone who would spend a year and a day in her tomb?... READ ON

Whether it's the Hope Diamond or a Cursed Amethyst, tales of death and destruction seem to follow certain famous jewels.... READ ON

12 (Mostly) Spooky Halloween Superstitions

Here are a dozen folkloric tidbits from the 1903 Encyclopedia of Superstitions to get you in the Halloween mood.... READ ON

10 Famous People Who Were Afraid They'd Be Buried Alive

Over the past several centuries, some well-known people made provisions to avoid being declared dead before their time.... READ ON

5 Weird American Cemetery Legends

These strange, spooky cemetery tales of vampires, ghosts, and bloody headstones will keep you up at night.... READ ON

7 of the World’s Most Fascinating and Beautiful Catacombs

Here are seven of the most picturesque and historically fascinating catacombs open for visits around the world.... READ ON

The Mysterious Deaths of 6 Historical Figures

Was Napoleon murdered by his wallpaper? Was Mozart done in by a pork chop? Read on for six tales of strange deaths.... READ ON

9 of the World’s Coolest Mazes You Can Visit

Whether you prefer corn or lavender, Italy or Illinois, the world is full of amazing places to get lost.... READ ON

6 Weird Things Embedded in City Streets

When you're hitting the city streets, take a second to look down at the pavement. Plenty of strange things have been embedded where your feet touch the ground.... READ ON

9 False Rumors With Real-Life Consequences

Whether it's a king kidnapping children or a government hunting heads for a construction project, don’t believe everything you read—or everything you hear.... READ ON

15 of the World’s Most Famous Trees

Some trees can boast A-list status, whether for their massive measurements, the number of years they’ve got under their belt (and inside their trunks), or their place in history.... READ ON

10 Shipwrecks You Can Visit

These shipwrecks all have intriguing stories, and they’re all places where you can step foot, although in some cases a boat (and possibly scuba gear) may be necessary. Just remember: Look, don’t touch.... READ ON

Monster Presents: Insomniac: Listen to a New Podcast That Explores How Serial Killers Affected One Man's Mind

The new iHeartRadio original podcast is the story of one writer's descent from podcast researcher to its surprising subject.... READ ON

10 Historical Divination Methods for Predicting the Future

These divination methods—using chickens, entrails, and even cheese—show our ancestors were pretty inventive when it came to trying to predict the future.... READ ON

10 Famous Authors and Their Unfinished Manuscripts

When an author dies with their work unfinished, do we let it molder in vaults, stash it away in archives, or publish it for all the world to see—even if that’s not what the writer wanted?... READ ON

7 Ways Victorian Fashion Could Kill You

Whether it's poisonous dyes, pestilential fabrics, or flammable skirts, here are some reasons to be glad you're not getting dressed in 1837.... READ ON

The Tower of London Welcomes New Baby Ravens for the First Time in 30 Years

The new chicks aren't just cute—they're helping protect the Tower of London, and the monarchy, from a prophesied doom.... READ ON

10 American Ghost Towns You Can Visit

Ghost towns are great, because let's face it, most towns inhabited by actual people are so overrated.... READ ON

10 Legendary (and Probably Made-Up) Islands

These imaginary isles all have a place in world history, literature, or mythology—despite not having a place on the map.... READ ON

30 Astonishing Facts About Death

Did you know that you can be declared dead in one state and not another? Here are 29 other amazing facts about making your final exit.... READ ON

See What It Was Like to Live in a Secret NYC Library Apartment

These time capsules were once personal apartments for the custodian of the library branches, but they may not last much longer.... READ ON

10 Graveside Traditions at Famous Tombs

Whether it's leaving playing cards or bullets, or drinking a cognac toast, there are a variety of traditional ways to pay tribute at famous tombs.... READ ON

9 Colors Named After People

From Titian Red to Alice Blue to Scheele’s Green, this is where the history books meet the artist’s palette.... READ ON

7 Amazing Facts About the Sedlec Ossuary

At the "Bone Church" (a.k.a. the Sedlec Ossuary), you can see a chandelier made from almost every bone in the human body.... READ ON

How Harry Houdini Might Have Pulled Off His Most Daring Trick

Being buried under 3000 pounds of dirt isn't easy.... READ ON

Belgium Is Home to the World’s Only Sourdough Library

And it's overseen by a Sourdough Librarian.... READ ON

The Time the Church Put a Pope's Corpse on Trial

It's been called "one of the grisliest events in papal history"—for good reason.... READ ON

12 Thoughtful Gifts for Mom

Now that you're old enough to have graduated from macaroni and glitter.... READ ON

Celebrate the Encyclopedia Britannica's 250th Birthday by Checking Out Its First Edition Online

The first edition featured 39 pages on horse diseases.... READ ON

9 Tips for Preventing Food Poisoning

Wash, chill, separate. And thaw appropriately.... READ ON

"Enter and Be Damned!": The Macabre Clubs of Belle Epoque Paris

Get your cholera-themed beverages right here!... READ ON

The Truth Behind Italy's Abandoned 'Ghost Mansion'

It's reportedly been home to a murder, suicide, and Aleister Crowley.... READ ON

11 Allegedly Haunted or Cursed Graves Around the U.S.

As if cemeteries weren't spooky enough.... READ ON

5 Things We Know About Happy Face, a New Podcast About Having a Serial Killer for a Dad

Melissa Moore wondered—could she share a trace of her father's evil?... READ ON

Inside the Great Dismal Swamp, Where Enslaved People Once Roamed Free

The swamp is finally starting to give up its secrets.... READ ON

Why Iceland Gets Its Ice From Other Countries

It's all thanks to modern economics.... READ ON

8 of the Most Intriguing Disappearances in History

It's usually hard to vanish without a trace, but these folks managed it.... READ ON

The Palos Verdes Blue: The Beautiful Butterfly That Wasn't Extinct After All

Reports of its demise were greatly exaggerated.... READ ON

Meet the Sisters Who Started a Business Selling Artist-Designed Wheelchair Wheel Covers

You can change them up to suit any mood.... READ ON

The Republic of Indian Stream: The Forgotten Country Between the U.S. and Canada

Paying taxes to one country was enough.... READ ON

Meet Javier Botet: The Actor Behind Some of Your Favorite Monsters

The Spanish actor has always wanted to play creeps.... READ ON

See the World's Only Edible Bioluminescent Species

Bioluminescence? It's what's for dinner.... READ ON

This Bright Blue Tarantula Packs a Mean Bite

It's also called the peacock tarantula, but you may want to think twice before picking one up.... READ ON

How Your Sleeping Position Can Help (or Harm) Your Health

It all depends on who you are.... READ ON

See the Secret Paintings Hidden in Gilded Books

These vanishing paintings will flip you out.... READ ON

Meet Japan's Original (Not-so-Fresh) Form of Sushi, 'Funazushi'

Supposedly it tastes like a cross between prosciutto and caviar.... READ ON

Authorities Have Cracked a Bizarre Cold Case That Could Have Ties to the Zodiac Killer

Why did a war hero assume the identity of an 8-year-old boy killed in a traffic accident?... READ ON

Meet the Feather Artisans Who Adorn Paris's Cabaret Dancers

Dancers flock to their fashion house.... READ ON

Why Does the Sky Look Green Before a Tornado?

And does an emerald hue always mean it's time to run inside?... READ ON

13 Fascinating Items From the History of Magic at the Conjuring Arts Library

Handcuffs owned by Houdini, mind-reading props, and a book about a man who claimed to vomit wine.... READ ON

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