

Jon Mayer
Joined: Aug 21, 2019
Jonathan Mayer is a writer, producer, director and editor, and the Managing Producer at Mental Floss video. His work has been produced by Upworthy and Hatched, and has been written about by Splitsider/Vulture, Jezebel, the Frisky, and Laughspin. His most recent digital series, Aliens, was chosen for screening in SeriesFest and the Catlyst Story Institute Festival.


The Real Stories Behind 8 Secret Societies

One Beloved Dish From Each U.S. State

19 Odd Facts About Animal Sex
A Delicious History of the Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich
'The New York Times' restaurant critic Pete Wells once said the humble bacon, egg, and cheese was “designed to satisfy practical needs rather than voluptuary desires." But is that selling the sandwich short?
9 Inventions That Came From the Military
From bug spray to Epipens, you might be surprised to learn just how many items taking up shelf space in your home were originally developed for the front lines.
The Origins of 13 Mythical Creatures
Our latest episode of The List Show gets into some illuminating stories, from merpeople (or is that manatees?) to 'pontianak.'
A Bewitching History of Magic
As host Justin Dodd discusses in this episode of The History of Fun, magic has transformed from a little-respected sideshow to a multimillion-dollar industry.
11 Facts About the Animals of Chernobyl
Researchers thought the site of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster was unable to support life. But a bunch of wolves, deer, wild boars, bears, and foxes disagreed.
A Brief History of Pizza
We take a bite out of pizza’s past in the latest episode of Food History.
6 Misconceptions About the 1990s
In the latest episode of Misconceptions, host Justin Dodd debunks myths from the last decade of the 20th century, from fraudulent Furby fears to some misinformation around the era’s most famous trial.
100 “WTF” Facts
In this episode of The List Show, we cover 100 facts about everything from business to biology that'll make you say, “huh?”
13 Lies Movies Taught Us
In this episode of The List Show, Mental Floss editor-in-chief Erin McCarthy traces some of the most common myths we've gotten from movies.
The Coolest Offbeat Attraction in Each U.S. State
In the latest episode of The List Show, host Justin Dodd takes an off-kilter roadtrip through the United States, with stops at a self-flushing latrine, a collection of human brains, and much more.
A Brief History of SPAM
From Monty Python to Minnesota's SPAM Museum, this little packaged luncheon meat has a big cultural footprint.
“Weird Al” Yankovic’s Weird, Wonderful Career
In this episode of Throwback, Mental Floss Editor-in-Chief Erin McCarthy traces Weird Al’s unique path to stardom.