Mental Floss

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“Nevermore!”

“Once upon a midnight dreary” begins “The Raven,” setting the mood for one of the most recognizable poems written in English.

See if you can figure out this twisted tune.

We ran the lyrics of a hit song through multiple languages, then translated them back into English. Can you figure out what the song is, or who performed it?

'Knotty muscles' can be a real pain in the neck.

The nagging pain in your neck may feel tight, but it's knot what you think.

Thaw-breakers.

From phrasal verbs to loanwords, here's how English speakers repeat themselves without realizing it.

Crystal balls were all the rage among spiritualists a century ago.

Crystal balls aren’t just a prop in your Halloween décor—they represent our ancient desire for otherworldly knowledge.

San Diego is at the top of the list.

If you want to lessen your impact on the environment, consider moving to one of these metro areas.

Dogs are impressive excavators.

Ever wonder why dogs love to dig holes? We asked an expert to explain the behavior—and how to stop it.

Is this you?

You didn’t have to be out casting spells and stirring bubbling cauldrons in the dead of night to be at risk of being labeled a witch in the 1600s. Would you have been one of the accused?

Both are places where we bury the dearly departed, and the words are often used interchangeably. But that hasn’t always been the case.

These delicious sauces will have you shoving ketchup and mayonnaise aside.

Ken Jennings.

All five answers to the questions below have something in common. Can you figure it out?

Want to refresh your space with a new rug? Be sure to keep these tips in mind.

Presented by Roborock

The modern version does not include any flames.

Bobbing for apples, though sometimes comparable to dunking your head in a cesspool of saliva, wasn’t always the kid-friendly activity we know today.

A hair-free home is no hassle at all as long as you’re using these tips and tricks from Roborock and Mental Floss.

Presented by Roborock

If you’re planning a trip to Cape Town, South Africa, think about using Uber Safari.

Uber just made it easy to see lions, cheetahs, and rhinos in South Africa.

Some airlines are more likely to bump passengers due to overbooking.

Traveling is stressful enough. Getting bumped from a flight makes matters worse.

Horror games can shake us to our core.

A study determined the horror titles that are most likely to get players’ hearts racing.

A Halloween brainteaser.

Hungarian artist Gergely Dudás specializes in brain-teasing visual puzzles, and this Halloween offering is no exception.

Some of these presidents were well versed in October surprises.

Its political legacy began during the Iran hostage crisis, but other kinds of October surprises had been happening for decades.

Nancy Barnett’s family would not allow a road to disturb her final resting place.

This isn't something you want to pass late at night.

One of the original samples of Alexander Fleming’s penicillin mold.

Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and FDR once owned one of Fleming's penicillin mold samples. Now you can, too.

Can you fill in the blanks?

Can you deduce what letters are missing and figure out the word?

Do you have an addiction to ghost stories?

People have been telling ghost stories for thousands of years. We dive into the psychology behind why people are drawn to such terrifying tales.

This movie is so fetch.

People have been quoting iconic lines from this movie since 2004.