Lists, Interesting Facts, Best Movies & More

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

The dialects of the two countries have been diverging.

The two dialects have transformed to the point that North Korean defectors often struggle with unfamiliar language when arriving in South Korea—so much that the South Korean government publishes a list of commonly confused words to aid new defectors.

Portrait of Alexander Hamilton by Thomas Hamilton Crawford.

Even if you've seen the Broadway musical 'Hamilton,' there's probably a lot you don't know about this enigmatic founding father.

You may know Austin, Texas, as the Live Musical Capital of the World that’s devoted to keepin’ itself weird—but you might not be familiar with the city’s many slang terms.

American writer Gertrude Stein left a profound mark on 20th-century modernism through her literary work and her enthusiastic patronage of avant-garde art. Read on for more facts about her idiosyncratic life.

James Cameron was indeed "The King of the World"—and the box office—in the 1990s.

Box office success does not always equal critical acclaim. But many of the biggest hits of the 1990s are still being talked about, and revisited, today.

Barbie and Ken are just two members of the Barbie bunch.

From Celine Dion’s “erotic motorcycle” to the crafty female platypus who faked a pregnancy in order to bust out of the Bronx Zoo, 2023 was full of some pretty great stories.

Rihanna, David Bowie, and Bjork have all had their names mispronounced—frequently.

From pronouncing the name of one of the Beastie Boys to how to say “Sade” correctly, here are a few tips for your tongue.

The cover of John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men.’

Here are a few things about this iconic piece of literature that might not have been covered in your high school English class.

Exolangs are constructed languages that imagine how the languages of extraterrestrial beings might look and sound—and linguists have come up with some pretty mind-bending options.

As midnight approaches on December 31, more than a few of us will pop open a bottle or two of champagne to help ring in the New Year. Here are a few nuggets you can share with fellow revelers.

The internet has given us all kinds of delightful slang terms for what our cats and dogs do, from ‘blep’ and ‘bork’ to ‘smol’ and ‘sploot.’

Bessie Coleman, David Bowie, and Martin Luther King Jr. all have January birthdays.

Some of our favorite figures from history, literature, music, pop culture, and more were born in the first month of the year. Do you share a birthday with one of these famous folks?

Remember when your high school reading list included ‘Atticus,’ ‘Fiesta,’ and ‘The Last Man in Europe’? You will once you see what these books were renamed before they hit bookshelves.

Some cars hold their value more than others.

All cars lose value, but some models can lessen the trade-in pain.

Your favorite toys from back in the day could help you rake in some serious dough.

From the McFurby to Boo Buckets, some of the most iconic McDonald’s Happy Meal toys can also fetch a pretty penny these days.

An Amish family gathers for a meal around their kitchen table.

You might not realize that the Amish sometimes drive in cars and operate power tools.

There was something for every type of reader on MentalFloss.com in 2023.

Once again, Mental Floss readers proved to be curious about all sorts of niche topics—and our editors and writers were happy to oblige their interests.

'Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey' (2023) did not have a sweet run at the box office.

You've never heard of most of these movies. There's good reason for that.

Whether it's tea or a great gift card, these gifts are in the bag.

Discover 10 of the best last-minute gifts to give this holiday season, including MasterClass, Nuuly, Blue Apron, and more.

Everyone thought Pleasant Rowland’s idea was terrible. Thankfully, she didn’t listen. Now there’s a new American Girl movie in development, making it the perfect time to read up on what you might not have known about these beloved dolls.