Mental Floss

LISTS





George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley of Wham!

With their brightly colored short shorts and ridiculously catchy songs, Wham! were the definitive pop group of the '80s—though they were initially seen as a political act.

Kenneth Partridge




Joseph E. Baker, Library of Congress // Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

Discover whether you are guilty of maleficium and/or would have been accused of practicing witchcraft according to the laws and evidence used during the 1692 Salem Witch Trials.

Leah Beckmann








Language is weird.

Some nouns only have a plural form, regardless of how we think of them. They are known as ‘pluralia tantum,’ Latin for “plural only.”

Arika Okrent


These cats went to sea and to space, and inspired artists, writers, and scientists.

Anyone with a cat will probably argue that their feline is the coolest—but there have been at least a few other candidates through the ages, from Able Seacat Simon to Abraham Lincoln’s kitties to the feline that inspired Nikola Tesla.

Kerry Wolfe






Kate Beckinsale stars in 'Underworld' (2003).

The movie, which hit theaters September 19, 2003, was a surprise hit: It was made for $22 million but grossed nearly $96 million, kicking off a film franchise that brought in nearly $550 million. Here’s what you should know.

Erin McCarthy