Mental Floss

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Grab your magnifying glass.

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

Ellen Gutoskey


Surfers are used to getting mouthfuls of saltwater.

The salt in the ocean comes from two main sources: rocks on land and vents at the bottom of the sea.

Michele Debczak


in H.T. Opsahl's classroom, bad kids faced serious repercussions.

In 1924, H.T. Opsahl sentenced disruptive kids to a high-voltage electric chair. Parents were not amused. Discover more about the origins of one of history's worst high school teachers here.

Jake Rossen