Mental Floss

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The BBC once pranked the world by declaring that Big Ben’s clock face would be going digital.

From Taco Bell buying the Liberty Bell to the time the BBC convinced its viewers that spaghetti grows on trees, these are some of the most iconic pranks in history.

Abbey Stone


Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin described the guillotine's effect as being “Like a cool breath on the back of the neck.” Anne Boleyn would likely disagree.

Jake Rossen






Everybunny wants to know why we call rabbits “bunnies.”

When it comes to abbreviations for animal names, doggy for dog makes sense, as does kitty for cat, when you think about it: Kitty comes from the word kitten. But where does bunny for rabbit come from?

Kara Kovalchik


English is an outlier in this regard.

Some languages capitalize several of their pronouns. Some don’t capitalize any of them. English just capitalizes ‘I’—but why?

Matt Soniak








Fun fact? Those eyes are virtually indestructible.

Whether you love or hate this Easter candy, there’s no denying that marshmallow Peeps are an iconic part of the holiday.

Jennifer M Wood