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Y2K led to a lot of hypothetical scenarios involving mass panic, failing banks, and eating squirrels.

Advice for an Apocalypse: 10 Tips From Y2K Survival Guides

Buy a water bed—you might need to drink it.

In Iceland, Christmas Eve is one for the books.

The Christmas Book Flood: Iceland’s Literature-Loving Holiday Tradition

Jólabókaflóðið, Iceland's long-running Christmas tradition, involves books, bed, and chocolate—all our favorite things.

10 Discontinued Little Debbie Snacks That Will Make You Feel Nostalgic

Some discontinued Little Debbie snacks, like Boston Creme Rolls and Cosmic Cupcakes, still hurt to think about.

Can You Solve This Old-Timey Riddle? #17

This riddle dates back to the 1930s—can you figure out the answer?

Building snowmen is not a new winter activity.

Why Do We Build Snowmen?

From children decorating them with hats and carrot noses to giant sculptures of fan-favorite characters, where there is snow, there will be snowmen. Here’s a brief history of why we build them.

The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) Theatrical Trailer [5.1] [4K] [FTD-1458]

10 Things You Might Not Have Known About ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’

Anthony Minghella’s Oscar-nominated take on Patricia Highsmith’s crime novel remains wonderfully suspenseful a quarter-century on—and it inspired another, non-Oscar nominated film you might be familiar with.

Yes, You Should Be Washing Your Pet’s Toys—Here’s How

Protect your pets from harmful pathogens by washing their toys properly.

Bird Flu: 8 Fast Facts You Should Know

Bird flu is one of the reasons egg prices have skyrocketed. Here’s what else you should know about the current outbreak of the H5N1 virus among U.S. poultry and dairy cows.

Learn Amazing Facts About Louis Armstrong With James Monroe Iglehart

The performer, who is currently playing Armstrong on Broadway in ‘A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical,’ dropped by the Mental Floss studios to walk us through some fascinating details about Armstrong’s life.

It's hard to keep a good vamp movie down.

How the Classic Vampire Movie ‘Nosferatu’ Cheated Court-Ordered Death

‘Nosferatu’ was not the first vampire film, but it is (arguably) the oldest surviving one. Discover more about the legal battle that almost put this classic vampire flick in an early grave.

10 Winter Solstice Celebrations From Around the World

Cultures around the world performed rituals on the winter solstice for the return of the sun. While some of these celebrations have been left in the past or absorbed into other winter festivities, others are still celebrated to this day.

Definition Detective Quiz #19

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

The Supreme Court has weighed a convicted person’s right to refuse a pardon in three major cases.

Can a Person Refuse a Presidential Pardon?

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in at least three cases on a person’s right to refuse a presidential pardon.

The Parthenon sits atop Athens’s Acropolis.

12 Facts About the Acropolis of Athens

The ancient Acropolis has loomed over the Greek city of Athens for more than 3000 years as a defensive citadel, temple complex, weather station, and even a site of resistance against the Nazis.

The Nickelodeon Toy Run was every kid's dream in the '90s.

‘Like Winning the Lotto for Kids’: Remembering Nickelodeon’s Super Toy Run

For close to 20 years, Nick gave kids a chance to indulge in toy greed. Not everyone came out unscathed.

Happy 25th birthday to the below things.

25 Things Turning 25 in 2025

Here are 25 of the best things the year 2000 gave us, from the birth of iconic franchises to scientific advancements that we may take for granted.

The Not-So-Grimm Story of Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread houses have some surprising connections to royalty, brutal fairy tales, and global trade.

Fifty years is a long time to keep a library book.

Detroit Library Lets Man Keep Book That‘s Five Decades Overdue

The Warren Public Library waived late fees for a Chicago man who check out a baseball book 50 years ago.

14 Festive Facts About ‘The Santa Clause’

From deleted subplots to a very different original opening to a Santa suit so bad it almost made Tim Allen start a fight, here are 14 facts about the making of 'The Santa Clause.'

See if you can decipher this twisted tune.

Tune Twist Quiz #21

It’s time to play Tune Twist, where we translate the lyrics of popular songs into multiple languages and then back into English. Can you figure out what the song is, or who performed it?

Let’s investigate the high-stakes world of Social Security trivia.

Was the First-Ever Social Security Number Really 001-01-0001?

In 1936, someone got bragging rights to having the lowest possible Social Security Number—but only after several others turned it down.

Pubs Fear Guinness Shortage as the Beer Skyrockets in Popularity

Some pubs are rationing the Irish stout ahead of the holidays.

Mountaineers making their way to the summit out Mount Everest.

29 Geographical Superlatives That Will Change How You See the World

From the world’s tallest peaks to its deepest lakes and beyond

A dreidel and pile of chocolate gelt are a common sight during Hanukkah celebrations.

The Surprising History of the Hanukkah Dreidel

It’s often said the dreidel was a way Jewish people communicated their faith during ancient times of oppression. But the Hanukkah game is actually a lot more recent.

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