Mental Floss

BIG QUESTIONS







Photo by Vaibhav Jadhav from Pexels

When your bread dough doubles in size overnight, you have a hard-working team of microorganisms to thank.

Michele Debczak


It's not exactly the "safety in numbers" situation you might be imagining.

The facts on where it comes from, how it works, and whether it could happen with the novel coronavirus.

Ellen Gutoskey








Azat Kılınç, Unsplash

Your cat's habit of sleeping all day isn't a sign of laziness—it's a survival instinct that's baked into their genes.

Michele Debczak
A baby's laugh can offer a lot of insight into their development.

Tiny people giggle at everything from tickling to peek-a-boo to silly faces. But do they really have a sense of humor?

Jake Rossen


Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

The name "Jim Crow" appears throughout many U.S. history books, but he was a caricature—not a real person.

Michele Debczak


Phillip Pessar, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

Four actual brothers formed the Brooks Brothers clothing brand after their father had started the menswear business in 1818. It survived scandal and changing styles—but the current economic downturn may be a different story.

Claire Cock-Starkey




He's got skin (and hair) in the game.

If you always respond to your tail-chasing dog with laughter and belly rubs, he might just be in it for the attention.

Ellen Gutoskey