Mental Floss

HALLOWEEN

From ‘six-foot bungalow’ to ‘pine overcoat,’ there have been some creative euphemisms for coffins over the ages—and some terms that were surprisingly (and uncomfortably) direct.

Mark Peters








Cupcakes are older than you might think.

Whether you’re wild about whoopie pie, can’t get enough cotton candy, or simply want s’more s’mores, finding out more about the origins of these tasty treats is pretty sweet.

Amanda Green
John Carpenter on the set of 'Halloween' (1978).

From his 1978 classic “Halloween” to his love of video games, there’s a lot to appreciate about John Carpenter, but here are some other cool facts you might not have known about the storied director.

Shayna Murphy
There’s hope for your New Year’s resolution past January.

We celebrate the same holidays every year, but how much do we actually know about these annual traditions? And how much of what we think we know is actually true?

Bethel Afful










On the set of 'The Haunting'

The haunted house is one of horror’s most time-honored tropes, a dark twisting of the place we call home into a maelstrom of terror and things that go bump in the night.

Matthew Jackson






Scare crows may deter crows and blackbirds, but you'll have to make some modifications for them to really work.

Mark Mancini