%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20684.6%2068.1%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20684.6%2068.1%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cg%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M444.1%2C29.3h-17.4v14.5h17.4V29.3z%20M36.4%2C68.1l29.3-50.8V0H50.4L32.9%2C36.8L15.5%2C0H0v68.1h16.7V45.8l12.4%2C22.3H36.4z%0A%09%09%20M49.1%2C68.1h16.6V23.4L49.1%2C52.1V68.1z%20M76.6%2C68.1h45V53.8H93.3V41.6h21V27.1h-21V14.8h28.3V0.1h-45V68.1z%20M175.6%2C68.1h17.3v-68%0A%09%09h-16.5v40.3L150%2C0.1h-17.6v68h16.7V27.7L175.6%2C68.1z%20M235.8%2C14.8h15.4V0.1h-47.4v14.7H219v53.2h16.8V14.8z%20M290.3%2C45.9h-17.1%0A%09%09l7.5-15.6h2L290.3%2C45.9z%20M298.7%2C68.1h18l-32.2-68h-5.7l-32%2C68h18l3.3-7.1h27.1L298.7%2C68.1z%20M325.2%2C68.1h46.2V53.8h-29.6V0.1h-16.7%0A%09%09V68.1z%20M423.7%2C14.8h27.2V0.1H407v68h16.7V14.8z%20M462%2C68.1h46.2V53.8h-29.6V0.1H462V68.1z%20M564.8%2C34.1c0%2C10.7-7.2%2C19.2-18.5%2C19.2%0A%09%09c-11.4%2C0-18.5-8.5-18.5-19.2s7.1-19.2%2C18.5-19.2C557.6%2C14.9%2C564.8%2C23.4%2C564.8%2C34.1%20M580.6%2C34.1c0-19-14.2-34-34.3-34%0A%09%09c-20.2%2C0-34.3%2C15-34.3%2C34c0%2C19%2C14.1%2C34%2C34.3%2C34C566.4%2C68.1%2C580.6%2C53.1%2C580.6%2C34.1%20M604.8%2C20.5c0-4.1%2C3.3-6.2%2C6.7-6.2%0A%09%09c4.4%2C0%2C6.6%2C3%2C6.6%2C6.6h14.7C631.8%2C9.1%2C625.1%2C0.1%2C611%2C0.1c-12%2C0-21.7%2C9.3-21.7%2C20.6c0%2C10.9%2C5.9%2C15.9%2C16.7%2C19.8%0A%09%09c5.2%2C1.8%2C11.5%2C3.2%2C11.5%2C8c0%2C3.3-2.4%2C5.5-6.4%2C5.5c-3.6%2C0-6.6-3-6.6-6.7h-15.2c0%2C11.5%2C7.9%2C20.8%2C21.8%2C20.8c12%2C0%2C21.6-9.3%2C21.6-20.6%0A%09%09c0-10-5.3-16.4-16.7-19.8C610.6%2C26.1%2C604.8%2C25.3%2C604.8%2C20.5%20M670%2C20.9h14.7C683.8%2C9.1%2C677.1%2C0.1%2C663%2C0.1c-12%2C0-21.7%2C9.3-21.7%2C20.6%0A%09%09c0%2C10.9%2C5.9%2C15.9%2C16.7%2C19.8c5.2%2C1.8%2C11.5%2C3.2%2C11.5%2C8c0%2C3.3-2.4%2C5.5-6.4%2C5.5c-3.6%2C0-6.6-3-6.6-6.7h-15.2c0%2C11.5%2C7.9%2C20.8%2C21.8%2C20.8%0A%09%09c12%2C0%2C21.6-9.3%2C21.6-20.6c0-10-5.3-16.4-16.7-19.8c-5.4-1.6-11.3-2.4-11.3-7.2c0-4.1%2C3.3-6.2%2C6.7-6.2C667.7%2C14.4%2C670%2C17.3%2C670%2C20.9%0A%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
How Much Should You Spend on an Engagement Ring?
Diamonds are forever. So is debt, if you’re not careful.
BIG QUESTIONS
Our 40 Most Popular Stories of 2022
In 2022, Mental Floss readers had trucks, dogs, food, Wordle, and the royal family on their minds.
What Is Stiff-Person Syndrome?
Celine Dion recently announced that she has been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome (SPS), a rare and progressive neurological disorder that only affects about one or two out of every 1 million people.
Why Do We Only Say “’Tis the Season” During the Holidays?
Nobody will think you’re talking about baseball season, open season, or any other season. But why?
Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on December 25?
Jesus’s birthday is subject to interpretation, and there are plenty of intriguing theories to explain how we landed on December 25 to celebrate Christmas.
How Long Does It Take to Grow a Christmas Tree?
Your tree has lived a whole other life before being attacked by your cat.
What Exactly Is a ‘Real Doozy’?
It’s delightfully old-timey slang we still use today. But does it have anything to do with the Duesenberg cars of the 1920s?
What Was the First Post-Credits Scene in a Movie?
Kevin Feige and the brains at Marvel may have perfected the art of the post-credits tease, but they didn't invent it.
Grocery Stores vs. Supermarkets: What’s the Difference?
Though it doesn’t always affect casual conversation, the difference might matter to your credit card company.
What's the Difference Between Stuffing and Dressing?
For carbohydrate lovers, nothing completes a Thanksgiving meal quite like stuffing ... or is it dressing? It depends whom you ask.
What’s the Difference Between Scotch, Whiskey, and Bourbon?
It’s worth learning the difference between these spirits.
Why Don't We Have World's Fairs Anymore?
Once celebrated by millions, these events were later derided as "architectural beauty pageants" and have largely fallen out of favor. What happened?
Why Aren't There More Halloween Songs?
Christmas has tons of music associated with it, while Halloween is practically devoid of holiday tunes. It hardly seems fair.
Does Blowing on Hot Food Really Cool It Off?
Hyperventilating over your hot coffee or pizza slice? Here's what's actually happening.
What Are Black Diamond Apples, and Why Are They So Expensive?
What is it about the dark and mysterious fruit that justifies the premium price tag?
Why Do People Give Apples to Teachers?
The link between teachers and apples goes back centuries.
How Did King Tut Die?
History's most famous child ruler was also the result of inbreeding, which sure didn't help his longevity much.
How Are Hurricane Categories Determined?
In order to assign a numeric category value to a hurricane, meteorologists look to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Why Do McDonald's McFlurry Spoons Have Square Holes in the Handle?
No, you're not supposed to use the square McFlurry spoons from McDonald's like a straw.
How Do Odor Neutralizers Like Febreze Work?
A clever chemical reaction does more than just mask that wet dog smell. It can actually render it invisible to your nose.
Why Do Car Steering Wheels Feel Sticky?
Other than when you spill a Big Gulp on them, we mean.
What's the Oldest City in America?
The oldest city in the U.S. predates Jamestown by more than 40 years.
What Do ‘Cc’ and ‘Bcc’ Actually Stand For?
Though the meanings of ‘cc’ and ‘bcc’ haven’t changed over the years, the technology that uses them definitely has.
Why Do Dogs Eat Dirt?
Some dogs munch on dirt the way humans dig into ice cream. But why?