Mental Floss

BIG QUESTIONS





There's a legitimate reason, and it isn't purely aesthetic.

Natural rubber is white, and so were the earliest car tires. So, why are modern-day tires black? The answer is linked to Crayola and carbon black.

Jake Rossen


The bow of the USS ‘Samuel B. Roberts,’ lying more than 4 miles under the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

These are the five deepest shipwrecks ever discovered, including the USS ‘Samuel B. Roberts,’ which went to the depths of the Philippine Trench during the Second World War.

Tim Brinkhof


“Say uncle!”

One theory says it comes from an Irish word; another says we have the ancient Romans to thank. But the joke is on those theories, because the real story is more complicated than that.

Kara Kovalchik, Erin McCarthy












It's not whipped cream.

Cool Whip’s ingredients aren’t a total mystery—but they’re also not as simple as cream and sugar.

Ellen Gutoskey


A supermarket poultry case containing packages of raw chicken.

Salmonella, norovirus, and other germs are often found in raw poultry and fresh produce—and can find their way into your digestive system. Here’s what to know about the symptoms and treatments for food poisoning.

Jake Rossen


Cinco de Mayo, or May 5, is recognized around the country as a time to celebrate Mexico’s cultural heritage. Like a lot of days earmarked to commemorate a specific idea or event, its origins can be a little murky. Who started it, and why?

Jake Rossen

NASA officially prohibits alcohol aboard its missions, but that didn’t stop some American astronauts from enjoying a wee nip with their Russian colleagues.

Nick Keppler