Mental Floss

BIG QUESTIONS

Karaoke is a beloved pastime (for some people).

We have two innovators to thank for our ability to scream-sing Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” in front of a group of strangers.

Erin McCarthy




The addictive ’80s game might also have psychological benefits.

Anyone who has ever played ‘Tetris’ knows how addictive the ’80s video game can be. Scientists say the Tetris Effect may even have psychological benefits for people coping with PTSD.

Beth Robertson


The far-fetched plots were designed to keep viewers wanting more.

How did daytime dramas like “Guiding Light” and “General Hospital” become known as “soap operas”? It's all thanks to commercials.

Marla Mackoul










A mass of shipping containers at the port of Shenzen, China.

Tariffs are a means for one country to wrangle better trade terms with another country and to protect domestic manufacturing. Unfortunately, they don’t always deliver.

Tim Brinkhof








People with mind blindness cannot visualize things in their minds.

Aphantasia is a little-understood phenomenon that affects about 4 percent of the population. There are several theories behind what causes it.

CaLea Johnson
Think of them as shields for your wheels.

Hubcaps might seem purely decorative, but they serve an important purpose for your car.

Chris Wheatley
You can avoid brain freeze with a couple of easy precautions.

Here's what’s happening in your body when you eat ice cream or drink a chilled beverage too fast.

Matt Soniak
It’s easier to forecast earthquakes than predict them.

To predict quakes, scientists have to understand how they occur, what happens just before and during the start of one, and whether it shows signs that movement is imminent. So far, none of those things is known.

Erin McCarthy