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A woman reading a braille book.

Invented by Louis Braille in 1824, the tactile braille system has helped blind people read and write for nearly 200 years.

Kelli Finger

Knowing a bit of Dutch slang will not just help you find your bearings when you visit Amsterdam and its surroundings, but also earn you respect from the locals—who, despite being great at English, have a strong connection to their mother tongue.

Tim Brinkhof








The tell-tale hourglass identifies female black widow spiders.

Black widow venom is about 15 times as potent as a rattlesnake's, yet these charismatic spiders generally aren't a threat to humans.

Anne Taylor




John Steinbeck

The author of ‘East of Eden’ and ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ was also a three-time Academy Award nominee and found an enemy in J. Edgar Hoover.

Anne Taylor




An irate fish crow (Corvus ossifragus).

Crows are among the brainiest birds, able to recognize faces and hold grudges. Read on for more about these crafty corvids.

Mark Mancini
Movies have created some pretty pervasive myths and misconceptions.

In this episode of The List Show, Mental Floss editor-in-chief Erin McCarthy traces some of the most common myths we've gotten from movies.

Ellen Gutoskey


It’s not bad breath, it’s bromopnea.

Need a better word to describe what ails you? Look no further than this list of old, unusual ways to describe your aches, pains, and whatever else is happening in your body.

Erin McCarthy




Mount Fuji in autumn.

Not all Japanese game shows feature life-threatening challenges, and not all ramen lovers slurp loudly. Let's debunk a few more misconceptions about Japan.

Jake Rossen