HISTORY

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How an Unassuming Alley in Los Angeles Made Silent Film History

A film historian is petitioning to rename this forgotten Hollywood landmark Chaplin-Keaton-Lloyd Alley after three silent movie stars.

John Gregory's actual skull alongside a 3D rendering of his head.

A Skull From the 1845 Franklin Expedition Was Just Identified Using a Descendant’s DNA

Nobody made it out of Sir John Franklin’s 1845 expedition alive. But now we know just how far one sailor got.

The Chef Using Historical Records and Intensive Research to Revitalize Ozark Cuisine

Rob Connoley, a self-taught and James Beard Award-nominated chef, is on a mission to define Ozark cuisine, a murky and often-overlooked food tradition.

Can you guess which famous text smells like cherries and moldy furniture?

What 8 of the World’s Most Famous Books and Texts Smell Like, According to Science

Can anything beat the smell of an old book? The scent can be delightfully musty, with grassy notes of smoked wood and delicate chocolate. It has the power to transport readers to a far-flung time and place, to the oak-paneled library of their dreams.

Over the course of its history, chocolate has gone from a sacred beverage to a sweet treat.

A Brief History of Chocolate

Chocolate’s worldwide popularity streak has lasted centuries, but it wasn’t always the sweet, easily accessible treat we know today.

Dormie was an Airedale Terrier who ran afoul of the law.

Paw and Order: Dormie, the Dog Who Went on Trial for Cat Murder

In 1921, an Airedale Terrier named Dormie captured national attention by becoming the first dog to be put on trial for (cat) murder. And yes, he had a lawyer.

When a Founding Father Invited Prince Henry of Prussia to Rule America

As part of the "Prussian scheme," some of America's Founding Fathers invited the Prince of Prussia to rule the United States as king.

10 Pieces of Playground Equipment that Nearly Killed Your Grandparents

These vintage playground devices were so perilous, kids of yesteryear were lucky to live through recess.

The headless horseman has predecessors from all around the world.

The Real Origins of 18 Scary Stories

From possessed dolls and Bloody Mary to the Bunny Man and the Jersey Devil, here are the origins of 18 famous scary stories.

Notre-Dame Cathedral two years after the fire on April 15. 2019.

Remaking an Icon: How Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral Is Being Restored to Its Former Glory

On April 15, 2019, the world watched Notre-Dame burn. Two years after the fire, the famous cathedral in Paris, France, is on its way to reopening to the public.

The official campaign portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

6 Historical Figures Who Kept Secret Coded Diaries

People throughout history have kept personal diaries. More unusual, however, are those who wrote their diaries in secret code.

Your favorite authors got support, words of wisdom, and sometimes tough love from their moms.

10 Famous Authors and Their Moms

Ahead of Mother’s Day, read up on the women who provided support, inspiration, words of wisdom, and tough love to some of your favorite novelists, as seen in Mental Floss’s new book, 'The Curious Reader: A Literary Miscellany of Novels & Novelists,' out M

Princess Diana's wedding attire captivated both England and the world.

Royal Event: Princess Diana’s Wedding Dress to Go On Display at Kensington Palace

Princess Diana's famous royal wedding dress—with its 25-foot train and 10,000 pearls—isn't often seen by the public, but a new exhibition at Kensington Palace promises to change that.

Why the Fire Pole Is Beginning to Disappear

The iconic brass pole has been a fixture of fire departments for more than a century, but it might be more dangerous than it's worth.

Kindergarten survived some early controversy to become part of the American education system.

Why Do We Call Kindergarten Kindergarten?

This very German word became embedded in the American vernacular—but not before German politicians tried to ban kindergarten entirely.

A cartoon depicting Irish rent boycotts from December 1880.

The Word Boycott Comes From a British Land Agent Shunned by His Town

When Charles Boycott tried to evict struggling Irish farmers during a famine, they ran him right out of Ireland.

Robert Stack hosts the original Unsolved Mysteries.

A Brief History of Unsolved Mysteries

Join us. Perhaps you can help solve a mystery—or at least dive into the mysteries behind 'Unsolved Mysteries.'

An FBI photograph of the crime scene after the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum robbery, as seen in This is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist (2021).

12 Facts About the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Robbery—the World's Biggest Art Heist

On March 18, 1990, two men—dressed as police officers—talked their way into the side door of Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Less than 90 minutes later, they had pulled off the largest art heist in history—which remains unsolved to this day.

A photograph of Harriet Tubman taken by Harvey B. Lindsley in the 1870s.

Archaeologists Have Located the Site of Harriet Tubman’s Family Home in Maryland

The Underground Railroad conductor honed her wilderness skills around the cabin her father built in the 1840s.

The ruins of the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Jupiter at Baalbek.

Take a Virtual Tour of Lebanon's Ancient Roman Ruins, Restored

The free Baalbek Reborn app transports armchair travelers to the year 215 CE to see some of the Roman Empire’s most ambitious buildings.

The Staffordshire Hoard contains the one of the richest collections of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.

20 Amazing Historical Discoveries in the Last 20 Years

Scientists and historians have made incredible finds—from the oldest human-made art to long-lost shipwrecks—in the 20 years since Mental Floss began.

Notable southpaw Tommy John pitching for the New York Yankees in the 1980s.

Why Are Left-Handed People Called Southpaws?

Southpaws are most often talked about in baseball and boxing. But which sport (if either) coined the term?

United's male-only flights lasted from 1953 to 1970. In addition to women, children were also banned from boarding.

Sexism at 40,000 Feet: When United Banned Women From Boarding Their Men-Only 'Executive' Flights

From 1953 to 1970, United Airlines offered a daily flight out of New York that catered exclusively to male passengers. The National Organization for Women (NOW) was having none of it.

Why Do We Say 'Close, But No Cigar'?

The origins of phrases aren’t always very clear, but this one is—and it all started with carnival barkers.

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