Mental Floss

LISTS

Though it’s not often that the paranormal and legal intersect, the line between hauntings and hearings has occasionally been blurred. These five cases used “spectral evidence” to render verdicts.

Colin Scanlon






Winter is coming.

Winterizing isn’t exactly glamorous, but it’s an important task that can save you from a lot of trouble once the cold hits—and now is the time to get started.

Sam Hindman


A dodo surrounded by other birds.

Careful study of surviving documents and specimens, as well as a little science, have revealed a bit about the dodo.

Erin McCarthy
Hikers watch Kīlauea erupt from the safety of the trail.

if you want explosive drama with your hiking adventures, there’s nothing like walking on a volcano. Here are 10 trails that will take you there.

Julie Fogerson


Start sprinkling bumfuzzle, taradiddle, and collywobbles into everyday conversation—but maybe let quomodocunquizing rest in obsolescent peace where it belongs.

Cat DiStasio






The Salem witch trials were a troubling time in Colonial America.

A witch may not always dress in a pointy hat and fly on a broomstick, so start paying attention to things like how many pets they have, how many times they’ve been married, and if they weigh more than a stack of bibles.

Stacy Conradt




Beware of that invitation to tea.

Euphemisms allow us to discuss some grim or controversial topics employing a more palatable turn of phrase. These expressions were coined to disguise everything from capital punishments to diseases, death, slavery, and cannibalism.

Paul Anthony Jones




Now and Then (1995) • Truth or Dare/Fight Scene [4K]
Icon / VideoCreated with Sketch.

Critics might have panned the film—Roger Ebert said it was “made of artificial bits and pieces”—but audiences loved it, and now it’s a beloved cult classic. Ahead of its 30th anniversary in October, here’s what you need to know about ‘Now and Then.’

Meredith Danko