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The Men Behind Your Favorite Liquors

The Stories Behind 11 Famous Cocktails

When you belly up to the bar, how well do you know the cocktail you're ordering? The ingredients of these famous tipples may be familiar to bar patrons the world over, but some of their origins are as debatable as those of the Flaming Moe. Here's a quic

What's in a (Horse) Name? No More Than 18 Characters

Picking a name for a newborn can be an agonizing process for parents, but it's a whole lot easier than naming a racehorse. While Thoroughbred owners may not have to worry about the risk of subjecting their foals to ridicule on the playground, they must se

5 Pop Culture Apocalypse Scenarios and How They Might Happen

Since the earliest days, humankind has pondered the end of the world. We’ve imagined messianic judgment days, cataclysmic comets, hyperspace bypasses, and Mega Maids. Here are a few apocalyptic scenarios from recent popular culture, how they might happen,

19 Fun Facts About Children’s Books Spotted at the Library

This past week I spent some quality time in the children's section of the Wayne Public Library. Over on Instagram (we're @mental_floss), I've been sharing photos of books with facts related to them. Since only 1,030 people have joined us over there — way

25 One-Word Answers to Very Important Questions

The cover story for the new issue of mental_floss magazine is The Most Important Questions of 2012. To tide you over until you get your hands on a copy, here are 25 very short answers to very big questions. 1. How do South Koreans get kids to stop

How 8 Famous Acquitted Defendants Spent The Rest of Their Lives

Yesterday’s not guilty verdict for Casey Anthony ended her highly publicized trial. Here’s how life shook out for a few other acquitted defendants in high-profile trials. 1. Lizzie Borden Although 32-year-old Lizzie Borden was never convicted of the 18

Bad Girls Club: Women of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List

Around 500 people have appeared on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since its inception in 1949. But only eight of those fugitives have been women. Let’s take a look at these dangerous women’s stories. 1. Ruth

Get Out! How 8 Dictators Spent Their Exile Years

As civil war rages in Libya, many observers are calling for Qaddafi to step down and go into exile. This wouldn’t be the first time an oppressive leader has stepped aside in exchange for a relatively comfortable retirement abroad. We’ve compiled this hand

Fordlandia: Henry Ford's Ill-Fated Foray Into the Brazilian Jungle

We remember Henry Ford as the automotive magnate who perfected assembly line technology, but he also dabbled in ambitious social programs, including one in which he hired ex-convicts straight out of Sing Sing to staff his factories. Although many of thes

12 Bookstore Cats

Books and cats go together as well as peanut butter and jelly. You could file them under "things that are nice to curl up with" -at the same time! We featured a list of bookstore cats some time ago, but there are many stores with friendly and attractive c

4 Public Works of Art Gone Terribly Wrong

1. Diego Rivera’s “Man at the Crossroads”The Moral: Never hire a communist to do a capitalist’s

A Brief History—and Future—of the Shopping Cart

They're everywhere - in almost every grocery store, department store, and bulk item superstore. Depending on where you live in the world, you might call them carts, trolleys, carriages, buggies, or wagons. The guys from MTV's Jackass practically built t

10 Cocktails Named After Famous People

If you want to add a little celebrity pizazz to your tipple, try one of these 10 cocktails named after famous people. 1. The John

President George H.W. Bush received a Komodo dragon from the president of Indonesia.

The White House Gift Guide: 13 Unique Presidential Gifts

What do you get the Commander-in-Chief who has everything? Let's look back at some of the more interesting gifts presidents have received. 1. George W. Bush: Raw

Oh, the Places Your Ashes Will Go!

Want to be cremated, but worry that your ashes will just end up buried in a cemetery or sitting in some boring urn? Fear not! Have a look at these 10 bizarre places that ashes have gone. 1. Into a Comic

How to Tweet Your Way Out of a Job

Hate your job? Want to leave without giving two weeks notice? Thanks to Twitter, it's never been easier to get fired. All you have to do is sign up for an account and follow these simple steps. You'll be unemployed in no time! Step 1: Drunk

Spell It Out: 16 Abbreviated Company Names Explained

Dozens of companies use acronyms or initials in their names, but how well do you know what the abbreviated letters mean? Let's take a look at the etymologies behind a few abbreviated company names.1. CVSSorry, drugstore fans, there aren't three fatcat ph

Toxic Towns: 6 Cases of Polluted Places

Every once in a while, an environmental disaster makes big news, but the effects remain years after the headlines have faded. Here are six stories of what human activity did to mess up Mother Nature. 1. Mossville,

8 Strange and Different Musical Instruments

Middle school music classes will offer you a trumpet, flute, clarinet, drums, and a few other everyday musical instruments. Learn to play one of them and one day you may be asked to play a very different instrument that you might even fall in love with. H

10 Things You Don't Know About Starbucks (But Should!)

Starbucks is the coffee icon people either love or love to hate. Here are 10 things you might not have known about the Seattle-based company.

The Super Bowl of Science

Are you a high school senior with an interest in math or science? Then you owe it to yourself to check out the Intel Science Talent Search, an annual competition for young scientists. Older readers like myself may know the program better by its former n

Currency denominations don't cap out at $100.

A $500 or $10,000 Bill? The Story Behind Large-Denomination Currency

It's every pizza delivery driver's worst nightmare. Once upon a time, you could have paid for your food order with a nice, fresh $10,000 bill.

5 Ways Doctor Who Made a Difference

1. The Theme Song Many TV shows have had memorable theme songs, but few were as innovative as the eerie Doctor Who theme. Composed by Ron Grainer (who also wrote the themes for such classic 1960s shows as Steptoe and Son and The Prisoner), it was arranged