Lucas Reilly

Joined: Nov 21, 2012

Lucas proudly worked on mental_floss magazine for four years, where he served as a senior editor. For two years, he worked as a longform feature writer for the web. He's embedded with professional eclipse chasers in Nebraska, interviewed feudal lords in Britain, hunted for buried treasure in Virginia, and once profiled a man who had tried to turn into a goat. Chances are, you can find him at the library.

“[They] forced the conqueror of conquerors ... to retreat and leave them in possession of the field.”

The Time Napoleon Was Attacked by Rabbits

19 Brilliant Facts About Albert Einstein

Flight delayed or canceled? Here's what to do.

12 Things To Do When Your Flight's Canceled or Delayed

The Murderer Who Helped Make the Oxford English Dictionary

Eadweard Muybridge: The Eccentric English Bookseller Who Created the First 'Motion Picture' Was Also a Murderer

In 1860, a tragic head injury helped turn a quiet bookseller into one of the world's most consequential photographers.

The Origins of 12 Horse-Related Idioms

Horses own the winner’s circle in English idioms. But where did these popular phrases originate?

North Korea's music serves a purpose, and it's not enjoyment.

"Potato Pride": Inside the Secret World of North Korean Music

Music may be North Korea’s most powerful, and pervasive, political gimmick.

Washing dishes is linked to lower stress.

6 Dreaded Tasks That Are Actually Great For Managing Stress

Turns out, doing the dishes isn’t such a chore after all. According to a 2014 study, a “mindful” approach to dishwashing could actually reduce stress.

7 of History's Greatest Pranks

One common early prank was to send potential “fools” on impossible tasks—literally, on a fool’s errand. Here are a few more great pranks from history.

25 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

Americans generate 262 million tons of waste each year. Here are a few things you can actually recycle.

Karolina Kristensson, the Swedish National Maritime Museums

The Quest to Find—and Save—the World's Most Famous Shipwreck

In 1628, the 'Vasa' sank on its maiden voyage. For the next 300 years, it sat in a watery grave—until one man sparked a monumental effort to salvage it.

Robert Frank: The Photographer Who Captured America’s Dark Side

By documenting the little things, photographer Robert Frank changed an entire nation’s image of itself.

Where Does Language Come From?

The 5 Weirdest Traffic Laws On, and Off, the Books

The rules of the road are a little weirder in some places than in others.

The Summer Homes of 5 Legendary Authors

What do great authors do at their summer homes? Compose our favorite beach reads.