Mental Floss

LISTS





Jane Austen.

Feminism as we know it today didn’t exist in Austen’s time—but there is still a great deal of feminist inspiration to be taken from the author’s novels, life, and legacy.

Faye Keegan










Pripyat, part of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

These Atomic Age sites—some of which are still dangerously radioactive—are a somber reminder of the dark shadow the threat of nuclear war cast on the world.

Lorna Wallace










(L-R) Javier Bardem, Meryl Streep, and Jared Leto: not fans of their own movies.

Seeing yourself projected on a 40-foot-tall screen can be kind of awkward, even if you’re a celebrity. At least that’s the case for these 15 actors, all of whom prefer to stay far, far away from their own work.

Rebecca Pahle
American servicemen and women in Paris celebrate on V-J Day, marking the end of World War II.

Savage battles, atomic bombs, and shark attacks were just some of the events leading up to the end of World War II in August 1945. Here's a look back on its 80th anniversary.

Mark Mancini