![An ouroboros on a grave marker in West Highgate Cemetery, London. An ouroboros on a grave marker in West Highgate Cemetery, London.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1024,h_576,x_0,y_45/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01j3n4jw9mzph6b1t0h1.jpg)
![Claire Cock-Starkey Claire Cock-Starkey](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_180,ar_1:1,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/Avatar-8f6b2b6546ea4f5f33a607906e60bef4.png)
Claire Cock-Starkey
Joined: Nov 3, 2015
Claire Cock-Starkey is a writer and editor based in the UK. Her latest book, The Book Lovers' Miscellany, was published in January 2018. Visit her at www.nonfictioness.com.
![An ouroboros on a grave marker in West Highgate Cemetery, London. An ouroboros on a grave marker in West Highgate Cemetery, London.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1024,h_576,x_0,y_45/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01j3n4jw9mzph6b1t0h1.jpg)
![The world-famous tomb of Tutankhamun. The world-famous tomb of Tutankhamun.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4031,h_2267,x_0,y_101/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/mentalfloss/01j2bzt4kad70ntcjdha.jpg)
10 Fabulous Ancient Tombs
![The preserved hull of the Tudor warship ‘Mary Rose.’ The preserved hull of the Tudor warship ‘Mary Rose.’](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1280,h_720,x_0,y_52/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01j15wfx6a65ce87yq10.jpg)
12 Facts About the ‘Mary Rose,’ Henry VIII’s Legendary Warship
![Angkor Wat reflected in one of its waterways. Angkor Wat reflected in one of its waterways.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_724,h_407,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/mentalfloss/01hxf0jq224w97yhkt4p.jpg)
10 Facts about Angkor Wat, the World’s Largest Religious Temple
9 Facts About the Denisovans, Our Mysterious Human Ancestor
The Denisovans went extinct around 30,000 years ago. Scientists are just beginning to unravel their genetic legacy.
10 Extremely Valuable Author Signatures
From James Joyce to Ernest Hemingway, discover which famous author signature is worth the most.
10 Historical First Impressions of Animals and Plants
From the “dark politicks” of cuttlefish to the “prodigious bigness” of snakes, here are 10 accounts of the first times explorers encountered new animals, foods, and more.
13 Facts About the Black Death
The Black Death—the world's second bubonic plague pandemic—decimated the populations of Asia, the Middle East, and Europe in the 14th century. But there was a silver lining.
The Surprising Origin of the Word ‘Morgue’
Uncover the origins of the term ‘morgue’ in 18th-century Paris—and the morgue’s transformation from a place of spectacle to medical institute.
10 Facts About Hadrian’s Wall, the Roman Empire’s Northern Frontier
Uncover the story of Hadrian’s Wall and take a fascinating dive into life at the Roman Empire’s northern frontier.
10 Facts About L’Anse aux Meadows, North America’s Only Viking Ruins
Discover the mysteries of L’Anse aux Meadows, the only confirmed Viking settlement in North America.
8 Trade Routes That Shaped World History
Whether they carried salt, incense, or tea, traders on these eight historic roads helped make the world as we know it.
20 Traditional Gift-Giving Superstitions
If you want to avoid bad luck this holiday season, don't give knives, hankies, or peacock feathers, but do give coal.
10 of the World’s Rarest Gemstones
They may not be as “precious” as diamonds or emeralds, but these scarce gems are just as valuable—if not more so.
8 Victorian Scientists Who Investigated Ghosts
Some 19th-century scientists embraced psychical research, while others tried to debunk the sensational stories.
11 Miniature Mischief-Makers From World Folklore
The milk has curdled? Must be a brownie. Someone drank all your wine? Your cellar might be infested with clurichauns.