Mental Floss

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These linguistic illusions will hurt your brain.

Linguistic illusions—a phenomenon in which your judgment or understanding of a sentence or phrase conflicts with its actual meaning or structure—reveal how we process the world, and remind us that things aren’t always as they seem.

Brett Reynolds






Be careful out there!

Poison ivy can take many different shapes and sizes. It can appear in small patches, take the form of creeping vines or a bush, and can even mimic the appearance of a tree it has wrapped itself around.

Emily Petsko


Yes, there is an easier way.

Mopping may be a necessary task, but it’s not inherently clear how often we’re supposed to be making it happen. That’s why Mental Floss and Roborock have teamed up to get to the bottom of it.

Presented by: Roborock














Tennis star Billie Jean King has had a lasting influence on sports and beyond.

Billie Jean King is one of tennis’ most celebrated athletes. But she also championed gender equality efforts and fought for equal pay in sports.

Mary Beth Skylis


The red velvet origin story is a widespread urban legend.

From what makes red velvet cake red (and velvet, for that matter) to its highly dubious origin story, here’s what you need to know about this delicious dessert.

Jake Rossen