Colin Gorenstein

Follow @colingorenstein

Colin Gorenstein is a web producer for mental_floss whose work has appeared on Salon, Mashable, Village Voice and npr.org. He is probably running to Trader Joe's. Do you need anything?

Facts About JNCO Jeans

JNCOs were quintessentially '90s jeans, worn largely (at least at first) by skaters and nonconformists and known for mega-wide leg openings—and now, the brand is back.... READ ON

Step Inside the World's Worst-Smelling Factory at Your Own Risk

You probably shouldn't be sauntering into this Swedish factory unless you're getting paid to be there.... READ ON

Here's Why Your Phone Battery Can Explode

And are we doing anything to fix this phenomenon?... READ ON

Watch a Modern Chocolatier Use an Ancient Technique to Make a Delicious Hot Chocolate Drink

Guatemala's Chocolate D' Taza is using a 3000-year-old Mayan technique to produce a deliciously rich hot chocolate drink.... READ ON

Seattle Mariners Fans Are Going Crazy for These Crunchy Grasshopper Snacks

They've eaten about 1000 pounds of grasshoppers since the insects appeared on the concession stand menu less than a season ago.... READ ON

Mattel Unveils New Uno Edition for Colorblind Players

Uno's color-coded guidelines may no longer be a barrier for colorblind card game enthusiasts.... READ ON

Take a Tour of This Museum Filled With Every Toy From Your Youth

The Strong Museum in Rochester, New York—also known as the “National Museum of Play"—is every toy-loving historian's dream come true.... READ ON

What the First Year of Life Looks Like Through the Eyes of a Baby

Until their third month, babies can't actually identify facial features.... READ ON

You Can See Right Through This Amazing Cockatoo Squid

You've probably never seen a squid like this—or squinted so much to see one.... READ ON

Meet the Reigning World Champion of Competitive Hot Air Ballooning

Yes, competitive hot air ballooning is a real sport.... READ ON

The Fascinating Science Behind How Neon Lights Are Made

A neon sign pioneer is spilling the secrets on what was once a secret craft.... READ ON

Meet the Largest Dinosaur Ever Discovered

The <em>Patagotitan mayorum</em> weighs as much as 12 African elephants.... READ ON

Take a Tour of Singapore's Incredible Supertree Grove

Wow!... READ ON

Inside India's Ancient Tradition of Eye Dancing

Eyes are the window to the soul—and in India, they're also the key to mastering Kathakali, a traditional emotive dance native to the state of Kerala.... READ ON

The Amazing Water-Repelling Chemistry Behind Superhydrophobic Materials

To understand how phone cases, windshields, and raincoats are all able to repel liquid, a good place to start is by examining nature—specifically, leafhoppers.... READ ON

7 Popular Wine Myths, Debunked

You might want to rethink the shape of your wine glasses.... READ ON

Swans Used to Be an Aristocratic Delicacy—Now They're Practically Royalty

Swans are the property of Queen Elizabeth II, who exercises a strict no-eating policy for the birds that dwell on London's River Thames.... READ ON

Rare Footage Shows the Cuddly Sleeping Habits of Sharks

Scuba divers in Revillagigedo, Mexico recorded a group of whitetip reef sharks resting in a cozy pile.... READ ON

How Thailand 'Disease Detectives' Use an App to Fight Livestock-Borne Outbreaks

Thanks to a group of vets at Chiang Mai University, a "poor man's Instagram" is helping rural Thailand communities fight back against livestock-borne diseases.... READ ON

5 Secrets From Craig Bartlett, the Creator of 'Hey Arnold!'

Gabriel García Márquez influenced the creation of the beloved football-headed cartoon.... READ ON

Watch This Robot Crack a Safe in 15 Minutes

With one big insight, Nathan Seidle was able to whittle a four-month safecracking job into a 15-minute one.... READ ON

These Strange Sea Spiders Breathe Through Their Legs

We know that humans breathe through their lungs and fish breathe through their gills—but where exactly does that leave sea spiders?... READ ON

Meet the Workers Risking Their Lives to Rebuild the Great Wall of China

Since 2005, workers have carried out grueling—and often, life-threatening—physical labor to see the World Wonder restored to tiptop shape.... READ ON

What Causes Those Horrifying, Car-Swallowing Sinkholes?

Civil engineer Grady Hillhouse helps put the much-pondered question to bed.... READ ON

Baseball-Sized Hail Is Set to Shower North America

Climate change is leading to an increase in the size of the hail that could hit the northern and central plains.... READ ON

Watch This Supercut of 150 Memorable Title Drops From Film History

From <em>Guess Who's Coming to Dinner</em> to <em>Dude, Where's My Car?</em>, these films couldn't resist mentioning their respective titles in dialogue.... READ ON

Watch These Japanese Elementary Schoolers Set a Guinness World Record for Jump Rope

The school just edged out the previous record, which belonged to their rivals.... READ ON

Meet the Beautiful Beetle That Lives in (and Eats) Poop

Don't let the rainbow scarab's love of coprophagy put you off. It's a stunner.... READ ON

This Scuba Diver Has Been Visiting the Same Fish for 30 Years

Arakawa has been visiting Yoriko, an Asian sheepshead wrasse—called a kobudai in Japan—in the waters of Hasama Underwater Park.... READ ON

What Would Happen If You Always Avoided the Sun?

For starters: a major Vitamin D deficiency.... READ ON

Watch How Researchers Are Tracking Polar Bears in Russia

A thorough survey of this population could lend insight into the aftermath of sea ice loss.... READ ON

Meet Bas de Groot, the World’s First Milk Sommelier

Who says milk can't be enjoyed like a fine wine?... READ ON

This 'Walking Fish' Has Scientists Puzzled

The footage of the mystery fish was captured by a diver in Bali, Indonesia.... READ ON

Only 6 People Know the Recipe for This Delicious 'Top Secret' Tart

The Pastéis de Belém, an original egg custard tart, is one of Portugal's best kept secrets.... READ ON

Watching Astronauts Eat Food in Zero-G Never Stops Being Awesome

NASA cuisine has come a long way from thermostabilized yams.... READ ON

Take a Tour of Japan's Rare White Strawberry Farm

Don't be fooled by the color: it's even sweeter and juicier than its red counterpart.... READ ON

21 Things That Turned 21 in 2016

14 Delicious Latkes From Across the Country

They may not be the most traditional, but these creative latkes are more than worth your time this Hanukkah.... READ ON

Do Hats Cause Balding?

29 Spin-Offs That Almost Happened

Were you sad to see Mad Men go last year? Perhaps it'll make you even sadder to learn that the award-winning cable show almost had its own spin-off—twice.... READ ON

A Graveyard Smash: Bobby Pickett, The Man Behind the 'Monster Mash'

Just like the Halloween monsters Pickett lampooned in his songs, "Monster Mash" returns from the dead year after year.... READ ON

15 Surprising Facts About 'Transparent'

3. The show is exactly two percent autobiographical.... READ ON

Popular on Mentalfloss