Mental Floss

HEALTH







MRSA bacteria bound to a neutrophil, a type of infection-fighting white blood cell.

Public health officials are concerned that we could move back into a situation like that of the early 20th century, before antibiotics were discovered.

Tara Smith


Thank your butt for your ability to stand up straight.

You can thank your butt for a number of physical actions you take every day: moving your hip and thigh during walking or running, rising from a sitting position, climbing, and even just standing upright.

Jordan Rosenfeld
They're not just for show.

Discover more about the origins of toenails—plus the real reasons why your toenails may be getting thicker and changing colors.

Matt Hoffman


Body fat is not just something to get rid of. It plays important roles in the human body, from regulating metabolism to storing energy.

Jordan Rosenfeld








Love your liver.

Not only is the liver your largest internal organ; it is in charge of hundreds of bodily processes ranging from fighting infection to manufacturing proteins and hormones to helping your blood clot.

Jordan Rosenfeld




Free-range chickens.

Bird flu is one of the reasons egg prices have skyrocketed. Here’s what else you should know about the current outbreak of the H5N1 virus among U.S. poultry and dairy cows.

Nick Keppler


The pineal gland is located in the center of the brain.

René Descartes once described the pineal gland as “the principal seat of the soul.” Medical knowledge has vastly progressed since his time, though. Here’s what we know about this critical organ.

Jordan Rosenfeld
A doctor checks a young girl for swollen tonsils.

You might think they’re unnecessary, because so many people have had their tonsils removed—but tonsils actually serve an important role in your immune system.

Jordan Rosenfeld