Mental Floss

LISTS

These books altered history in ways big and small.

Here, in no particular order, are just a few of history’s most influential tomes—and how they made humanity look at things in a new light.

April Snellings, mentalfloss .com




These linguistic illusions will hurt your brain.

Linguistic illusions—a phenomenon in which your judgment or understanding of a sentence or phrase conflicts with its actual meaning or structure—reveal how we process the world, and remind us that things aren’t always as they seem.

Brett Reynolds






Tennis star Billie Jean King has had a lasting influence on sports and beyond.

Billie Jean King is one of tennis’ most celebrated athletes. But she also championed gender equality efforts and fought for equal pay in sports.

Mary Beth Skylis












Their fates are a mystery.

From a record-breaking mountain climber to a British adventurer who may have died searching for a city that doesn’t exist and beyond, these explorers have fates that are shrouded in mystery.

Michele Debczak