Mental Floss

BIG QUESTIONS

iStock/Ron and Patty Thomas

Beginning with the earliest American settlements and continuing into the 18th century, most barns weren't painted at all. So when did they become red?

Matt Soniak
iStock / MadCircles

Ever wonder what all those strange credits are when they roll by at the end of a film? From Gaffer to Boom Operator, here's some production roles to know

David K. Israel




Readers of a certain age might remember Hypercolor or Hypergrafix clothing, the color-changing T-shirts produced by Generra that were all the rage in the early '90s. Now that the '90s are back, it's a good time to finally figure out the science behind the

Matt Soniak




iStock/Liia Galimzianova

Grab a partner and look into his or her eye "“ or stare deeply into it, if appropriate "“ in a normally lit room. The quick and dirty version of how you're able to view each other is this: Light enters the eye through the cornea, the clear outer dome, and

Matt Soniak