Mental Floss

ALL STORIES









The spectacular Incan ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru.

The Inca stronghold of Machu Picchu has astounded and confounded visitors since it was unveiled to the wider world more than 100 years ago by an ambitious Yale professor.

Benjamin Lampkin












Grab your magnifying glass.

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

Ellen Gutoskey


MRSA bacteria bound to a neutrophil, a type of infection-fighting white blood cell.

Public health officials are concerned that we could move back into a situation like that of the early 20th century, before antibiotics were discovered.

Tara Smith


Thank your butt for your ability to stand up straight.

You can thank your butt for a number of physical actions you take every day: moving your hip and thigh during walking or running, rising from a sitting position, climbing, and even just standing upright.

Jordan Rosenfeld