Mental Floss

THE '80S

Michael J. Fox stars as Marty McFly in Back to the Future (1985).

'Back to the Future' may be a classic movie today, but the script was originally rejected more than 40 times. Here are some other things you might not know about Marty, Doc, and Doc's pet chimpanzee

Jason English
YouTube

Plenty of grown-up former Nickelodeon viewers remember the network as the home of such programs as Clarissa Explains It All, The Secret World of Alex Mack, Rugrats, and SpongeBob SquarePants, the channel has a rich history of interesting programming that

Kate Erbland
Erin McCarthy

While most people associate the concept of trading cards with sports and their most famous players—even non-baseball fans are dimly aware of the value of a “mint” card of a legendary slugger—the cardboard treatment isn’t just reserved for major league end

Kate Erbland




Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as Crockett and Tubbs in the TV detective series Miami Vice, circa 1988.

On September 28, 1984, 'Miami Vice' made its premiere on NBC, and a new kind of cop show was born. The series also kickstarted the careers of dozens of soon-to-be stars.

Jennifer M Wood




YouTube / Computer Chronicles

Our definition of portability has changed over the years, from 1975's IBM 5100 (what we used to call a "luggable" computer) all the way to today's ultrabooks, which are finally actually "notebook" sized -- and still have halfway decent battery life.

Chris Higgins
TheOverlookHotel.com

The version of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining that most of us have seen ends with two iconic images: Jack Torrance frozen in the snow, and a long shot through the lobby of the Overlook Hotel to a photo dated July 4, 1921, in which the doomed caretaker some

Erin McCarthy






Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Don't say, "I don't know." Since making its debut on 'You Can't Do That on Television,' Nickelodeon’s green slime has become an icon of pop culture.

Matt Soniak


The specter of an extended work stoppage means we don’t know exactly when we’ll get to watch pro football again. We’re not experts on the lockout, but we thought this might be a good time to fill you in on the details of the NFL’s last major labor crisis

Ethan Trex
The face that launched a thousand angry letters.

Chewing bubblegum, eating a chocolate bar, and sucking on a lollipop are among the many innocent joys of childhood. But if you found one of these controversial sweets in your kid's trick-or-treat bag, it might leave a sour taste in your mouth.

Rob Lammle