Mental Floss

THE MAGAZINE

Joey Parlett

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It's been twenty-five years since the Gardner heist shook the art world, and there is still no sign of the artwork.

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JUCO

A computer science and philosophy major–turned–actor on HBO’s Silicon Valley who also hosts a podcast for X-Files fans in his spare time, Kumail Nanjiani has the kind of career we admire most: one that’s a testament to studying hard, sticking with it, and

JESSE HARP

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BEN KIRCHNER

Around the turn of the 20th century, ladies started using fashion to play defense.

matthew reamer

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ALAMY (COWBOY, VIKING, BOONE)

Common knowledge has a lot to say about hats—but is it true?

John Ueland

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To make the county fair staple, you need ingredients from all over the globe.

WORLD OCEAN FLOOR PANORAMA, BRUCE C. HEEZEN AND MARIE THARP, 1977. COPYRIGHT BY MARIE THARP 1977/2003. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF MARIE THARP MAPS, LLC 8 EDWARD STREET, SPARKILL, NEW YORK 10976

Without ever setting sail, Marie Tharp mapped the ocean floor and made a discovery that shook the foundations of geology. So why did the giants of her field dismiss her findings as “girl talk"?

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Alamy (Dickens) / IStock (Fire)