Mental Floss

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Fires have prompted a number of safety regulations.

From tragic factory fires to toxic food scandals, some safety laws we may take for granted today actually have some pretty unsettling backstories.

Colin Scanlon
Ever wonder where the name ‘Snickers’ came from?

Surprise: Milky Way wasn’t named after our home galaxy. Let’s take a brief stroll down the etymological candy aisle and discover how these confections got named.

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Moisturized. Happy. In their lane.

There is a good reason why baby carrots tend to be slimier than their full-sized counterparts—and it has to do with the white stuff you sometimes see on the outside of them.

Michele Debczak
‘De integritatis et corruptionis virginum notis.‘

The macabre practice is known as anthropodermic bibliopegy, and the motivations behind it include everything from punishment of criminals to doctors wanting symbolically meaningful covers for their medical tomes.

Lorna Wallace
Counting sheep, unfortunately, isn't the cure.

Historical cures for insomnia were sketchy at best and outright dangerous at worst. Fortunately, modern medicine has discovered a few techniques that can help those suffering from insomnia.

Ellen Gutoskey