Mental Floss

LISTS

Which ones will you start using in conversation?

If you’ve ever needed a word for a piece of bread eaten just after a bath, or a term for an unpleasant choice between three options, you’re in luck.

Paul Anthony Jones
This is no time to batten down the hatches.

A handful of centuries-old sailing words remain known only to the saltiest of seamen, but some have become part of our everyday language.

Tim Brinkhof
Clara Bow.

Clara Bow, one of the earliest megastars of the silent film era, is famous for being Hollywood’s first “It Girl.” But there’s a lot more to Bow’s dramatic life than bobbed hair and flapper couture.

Rebecca Pahle








Shakespeare is the source of a lot of words.

Shakespeare is the first known citation for over a thousand words and even more meanings—but new research occasionally shows that Shakespeare actually didn't originate some phrases, a trend that will likely continue over time.

Roma Panganiban, Austin Thompson








Pregnancy is wild.

The act of bringing another person into the world comes with a whole host of things you might not have anticipated, from a phenomenon called “lightning crotch” and disappearing belly buttons to unexpected excrement and so much more.

Kerry Wolfe








How much do you know about zebras?

Some of these animals are rugged mountaineers, some have spots instead of stripes, and some of them bark like dogs. And if you want to tell the zebra species apart, look at their rumps.

Rosemary Mosco