Mental Floss

LISTS

The truth is out there.

Sasquatch sightings have been reported in every state but Hawaii over the course of several centuries. In the process, a number of bizarre theories have been put forth to explain how the mysterious beasts came to be—and how they manage to evade us.

Mark Mancini






Eleanor of Castile and Edward I.

If you’ve heard enough about King Henry VIII’s many wives or the turbulent relationship between Princess Diana and King Charles III, consider these 10 lesser known royal love stories. 

Samantha Arrowsmith


John Carpenter on the set of 'Halloween' (1978).

From his 1978 classic “Halloween” to his love of video games, there’s a lot to appreciate about John Carpenter, but here are some other cool facts you might not have known about the storied director.

Shayna Murphy




A photo of a woman resembling Patty Hearst, with a weapon in hand, from the robbery of a bank by members of the Symbionese Liberation Army.

On February 4, 1974, publishing heiress Patty Hearst was taken from her Berkeley, California, apartment—but Hearst is far from the only abduction case to have captured public attention.

Stacy Conradt




Staying active and social can help.

Taking steps like moving your body, booking a trip, and tweaking your routine can keep you feeling balanced during the winter doldrums.

Mary Beth Skylis






Picasso's ‘Guernica.’

Though it’s now considered one of Pablo Picasso’s masterpieces, ‘Guernica’ didn’t have many fans when it debuted—one critic even called the artwork “one of the poorest things produced in the world.”

M. Arbeiter


Koala bear, mantis shrimp, maned wolf, and king cobra are all misnomers.

With dolphins masquerading as whales, lizards as toads, and marsupials as bears, it can be tough to keep track of which animals are which.

M. Arbeiter
We learned a lot in 2023.

From record-breaking plants and incredible animal news to space superlatives and the awesome power of Taylor Swift fans, here’s the long list of things we learned in 2023.

mentalfloss .com
Meerkats are not quite cats.

These unusual animals are in the same taxonomic group as cats, but there isn’t much family resemblance.

Miss Cellania