Mental Floss

LISTS

William Shakespeare's First Folio.

Officially titled 'Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies,' the more than 900-page tome collected together 36 of the Renaissance writer’s plays for the first time.

Lorna Wallace




A sampling of Middle Eastern foods.

Arab American Heritage Month, occurring each April, is a relatively new event on the yearly calendar—but the history of Arab immigrants in the U.S. goes way back.

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Their name is misleading.

Did you know that their red color is a warning sign, their babies look like alligators, and they can change the flavor of your wine?

Rosemary Mosco


The Trift Glacier Hike in Switzerland.

No prior familiarity with specialist climbing equipment (beyond walking boots) is required to tackle these 10 scary hikes, but nerves of steel are a must.

Lorna Wallace






The Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall of China is one of the oldest, largest, and most celebrated achievements of human ingenuity, but there are still a few things you might not know about China’s ancient landmark.

M. Arbeiter




Their pasts were shrouded in mystery.

History is loaded with people who have disappeared without a trace; rarer are the ones who seem to have emerged from nowhere.

Meg Van Huygen




Mary Wollstonecraft.

Mary Wollstonecraft broke new ground in the battle for women’s rights with the publication of 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'—but there's far more to her legacy than just one book.

Jane Alexander