Mental Floss

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Al Capone got the scars that gave him his Scarface moniker in a barroom brawl.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 17, 1899, to Italian immigrants Gabriele and Teresa, Alphonse Capone would go on to become one of the most notorious gangsters of all time. Here’s what you need to know about the man known as Scarface.

Sean Hutchinson




Egypt’s famous Luxor Temple is one of the world’s oldest temples.

Humans have been building temples for over 10,000 years. Luckily for history lovers, many of those ancient, sacred sites still exist.

Lucie Grace


CribbVisuals // iStock via Getty Images Plus

Today, 'Maniac Magee' is a beloved modern classic and a fixture on school reading lists—but when Jerry Spinelli initially turned in the manuscript, he didn’t think he was onto anything special.

April Snellings
Everybody farts.

From the fart jokes penned by famous writers to the horrifying consequences of holding in your flatus to why toots smell worse in the shower, here's what you need to know about farts.

Jennifer M Wood






Italian bomboloni doughnuts

When most people think of doughnuts, they picture a ring of deep-fried dough with a hole in the middle—but depending on where you are in the world, these tasty treats have evolved into different shapes, sizes, and flavors altogether.

Michele Herrmann


Get yours.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe? What do COVID-19 vaccine side effects really mean? Here’s the truth about some prevalent misinformation.

Ellen Gutoskey
Bruno Vincent/Getty Images

Napster forever changed the way we listen to music. Here are 11 facts about this industry-changing computer software.

Kristy Puchko


Nora Ephron arrives at a screening of Julie & Julia in Westwood, California, in 2009.

If romantic comedies are synonymous with anyone, it’s writer/director Nora Ephron. Her landmark movies, including 'When Harry Met Sally...' and 'Sleepless in Seattle,' are widely credited with saving the rom-com genre.

Lana Schwartz






Kiefer Sutherland stars as Jack Bauer in 24.

With its unique real-time concept and nonstop action, '24' reinvented Kiefer Sutherland as an action star—and something of a serial killer.

Scott Beggs
Bborriss/iStock via Getty Images

You might think that urine is just bodily waste—but you would be wrong. It's been used in cleansers, medicine, and infertility treatments for centuries.

Stan Shunpike
Gallery Books via Amazon

'Flowers in the Attic,' V.C. Andrews's debut novel, was a Gothic gateway for many a young romance reader. And the numerous reviews that deemed the incestuous plot scandalous and shocking only enticed readers more.

Stacy Conradt