Mental Floss

BIG QUESTIONS

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What goes on inside a windmill?

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When Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440, he couldn’t have foreseen how his humble creation would eventually lead to a global industry churning out millions of books each year.

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Can you have a planet that isn't round? And what do potatoes have to do with it?

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The answer may have something to do with your brain's chemistry.

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In a world where previews come before movies, why are they called "trailers"?

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Wally Pipp’s name is a darling cautionary tale. It’s a great story. Too bad it isn’t all true.

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Your orphaned socks are victims of technology and your own deeply rooted psychological issues.

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It can, but because of a different kind of "stress."

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Go ahead and splurge on those industrial-sized boxes of cereal.

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No, it's not to make them more terrifying.

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One carries the water tank, the other transports the firefighters.

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"We may have hit peak crystal."

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The perfect combination of factors made the diving pool a hotbed for algae.

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There's a plan in case someone drops out after a major party nomination.

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Birthmarks? Accessories? A bizarre form of intimidation?

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Short answer: Riding in a car can may make your brain think you’ve been poisoned, and reading makes it worse.

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After a long, snowy winter, it’s hard to resist the allure of warm summer days. Of course, they can come at a cost—including a sunburn. While it’s a well-known advisory for humans to slather on that SPF before taking in the rays, what about animals?

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You shut off the shower faucet, open the curtain, and whoosh! Human popsicle.

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Don't take battery percentage at face value.

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There's a lot more that goes into the cost of a razor blade than just the product itself.

Typhoon Nepartak swirling over the Pacific Ocean on July 6, 2016

A “typhoon” and a “hurricane” are the same kind of storm, they just go by different names.

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Get ready for non-driver's insurance.

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There's a good reason for why you want to hit the snack bar upon leaving the pool.

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Researchers use math to explain why jet lag happens and how travel direction plays a role.