Mental Floss

CITIES

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Why is New York City Called The Big Apple?

The City That Never Sleeps has lots of nicknames, but this one might be the most ubiquitous.

Andrea Moroni, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Why Jaipur’s King Painted His City Pink to Impress the Prince of Wales

A law makes it illegal to paint the buildings any other color.

A Viking vessel in Saint Kitts, one of the stops on the cruise line's Ultimate World Cruise.

The Longest Cruise in the World Takes Seafarers to 59 Countries Over 245 Days

Could you spend the better part of a year on a ship?

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Philadelphia Tops This Year's List of the Most Facial Hair-Friendly Cities in America

Where to go to sport your beard with pride.

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15 Fast Facts About the London Tube

A vasectomy kit, a harpoon gun, false teeth, and six full-sized mannequins are just a few of the many strange things that passengers have left behind.

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These Are America's 10 Worst Cities for Allergy Sufferers

Spring (a.k.a. pollen) is in the air.

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Why a Train Full of New York City Poop Was Stranded in Alabama for Two Months

Get a whiff of this.

MegaSecur, YouTube

The Self-Deploying Flood Barrier That Could Keep Cities Dry Without Sandbags

The Water-Gate creates a flood barrier when the waters rise.

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Could Color-Coded Maps Be the Answer to City Parking Problems?

Let this tool decode confusing parking signs for you.

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London Wants to Plant Wildflowers for All 9 Million Residents

And you don't have to be a London resident to participate in this "seed bomb."

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These Are the World's 10 Most Expensive Cities

Sorry, Singaporeans.

19 Must-Visit Stops on Mexico City's Metro

From piano stairs to a space tunnel, exploring the attractions hidden within Mexico City's metro just might be the most fun you can have for 5 pesos.

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Google Adds 'Wheelchair Accessible' Option to Its Transit Maps

The feature is now available in six major cities.

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Do You Make Enough to Own a Home in One of America's Largest Cities?

There's a big difference between the most expensive and cheapest cities on the list.

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Distracted Walking Is Now Illegal in One California Town

Another reason to put the phone away when stepping outside.

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Why Tiny 'Hedgehog Highways' Are Popping Up Around London

They could help rebuild the city's hedgehog population.

Michael Gottschalk, AFP/Getty Images

Germany Wants to Fight Air Pollution With Free Public Transit

All aboard!

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Here's How Much Traffic Congestion Costs the World's Biggest Cities

All that time spent sitting in traffic adds up.

Daniel Leal-Olivas, AFP/Getty Images

How a London Museum Is Preserving a Chunk of the 143-Ton Whitechapel Fatberg

If you want to see a fatberg in person, now's your chance.

David McNew, Newsmakers/Getty Images

The World's Most Congested City Is Right Here in America

Los Angeles, you have 102 reasons to complain about sitting in traffic.

Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images

Better Sit Down for This: Japan Wants to Modernize Its Squat Toilets for the Tokyo Olympics

The government wants to make sure its international visitors don't find any surprises on their bathroom trips.

Al Bello, Getty Images

20 Super Facts About the Philadelphia Eagles

The Birds have one of the NFL's most interesting histories, not to mention a connection to the 'Star Wars' universe.

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Good News: Being Lazy Can Be Good for the Environment

If you're spending all of your time at home with Netflix, you probably aren't driving too much.

Adem Altan, AFP/Getty Images

Trash Collectors in Turkey Use Abandoned Books to Build a Free Library

Where some people saw trash, garbage collectors saw potential.