Mental Floss

LISTS



Here's to a taste of the past.

Not all the classic frozen treats you remember from the ’80s and ’90s are still available today

Mary Beth Skylis


It’s a living.

History is full of jobs that are no longer needed due to technology, cultural advances, and everything in between.

mentalfloss .com




A portrait of the scientists who found and examined the Piltdown Man skull (accompanied by a picture of Charles Darwin on the wall).

From forged artworks to fake mummies and even fraudulent orangutan bones, archaeological hoaxes fool scientists and stir the public’s imagination—until the culprits are forced to come clean.

Stacy Conradt


Caught in action.

Letting your cat walk across the counter can be pretty gross. We had a cat expert offer some advice on how to nip that habit in the bud.

Alexia Kontolemos






Ignorant people are everywhere.

Here are a few words for ignorant people you might want to add to your lexicon, from ‘wantwit’ to ‘dorkmunder’ to ‘ninnyhammer.’

Mark Peters




Nick Frost and Simon Pegg in 'Shaun of the Dead' (2004).

Edgar Wright's horror-comedy 'Shaun of the Dead' has become a cult classic over the years, and in honor of its 20th anniversary, it’s even coming back to theaters.

Matthew Jackson


Ryan Gosling in ‘Drive’ (2011).

Nicolas Winding Refn, who directed, doesn’t even have his driver’s license—and nine other things you need to know about this Ryan Gosling film.

Mike Rampton


A scanning electron micrograph of ‘Mycobacterium tuberculosis’ particles (colorized red), the bacterium that causes TB.

Ailments as diverse as tooth decay and malaria have caused suffering for thousands, even millions, of years—and they’re not done with us yet.

Liz Langley

Everything from ‘Jolene’ to ‘Waterloo’ is hitting the big 5-0 in 2024. Give ’em a spin.

Kenneth Partridge