MF Explains It All

This is what Amelia Bedelia would picture.

Eggs aren’t the only things you can devil.

The United States sees more tornadoes than anywhere else on the planet. Geography explains why.

It's what every shower-taker dreads—but it doesn't have to be this way.

Even this cricket wants to know the answer.

Cricket chirps can reach 100 decibels. So why do we use them as a byword for ‘silence’?

‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ is a fairy tale with a long history. But Goldilocks as we know her didn‘t originally appear in the popular children‘s story.

These balls actually do serve a purpose.

If you thought the fluorescent marker balls had something to do with increasing visibility, you were right.

Tennis balls are always under pressure to perform.

The key to holding court? A fresh can of tennis balls.

You’ve likely heard at least one tale that starts with the line.

‘Once Upon a Time’ appears in many fairy tales and stories. The phrase has a long history and a practical narrative purpose.

Jacqueline Anders/Moment/Getty Images (cat), Jon Mayer/Mental Floss (thought bubble)

According to experts, the answer is a lot shorter than you may think.

Code-switching goes beyond language—here's what it means and why it happens.

The concave circles built into the sides of plastic milk jugs are an important part of their design.

Horizontal lines run across the rear glass on most cars. Here's why.

Grasshopper on the left, swarm of locusts on the right

All locusts are grasshoppers, but not all grasshoppers are locusts.

Jack Sprat could refer to two historical royals.

Although “Jack Sprat” may not be in the nursery rhyme limelight, the two theories behind its meaning—both of which involve royalty—are just as interesting as the origins of better-known rhymes.

As brothers Bob and Doug McKenzie on ‘SCTV,’ actors Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas made ‘hoser’ popular—and there are plenty of theories about the word’s origin.

Chris Evert at the 1978 Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Chris Evert’s tennis bracelets made tennis bracelets a thing. But the origin story gets mistold quite often.

The adorable bear honey bottle design helped launch Dutch Gold Honey to national success. Here’s how it came to be.

Sadly, ‘PU’ isn’t an initialism for “Pretty unsavory!”, “Putrid, ugh!”, or even “Please use (deodorant)!”

The dog days of summer don’t actually have anything to do with this dog.

The dog days of summer don’t actually have much to do with dogs. Instead, they relate to Sirius, otherwise known as the Dog Star.

Shoes hanging from power lines have invited a lot of urban myths.

A dangling pair of kicks is sending a message. What is it?

Pills come in orange containers for a clever reason.

Those orange bottles are no accident—they were specifically designed to keep both medications and people safe.

Everyone from lexicographer Samuel Johnson to Prime Minister Winston Churchill has used the phrase—but where does it come from? Why a black dog?

“Shoot, did that plant have leaves of three?”

Dogs can potentially have an allergic reaction to poison ivy, and they can also transmit the irritating oils to people. Here's what to do if you pet encounters the plant.

The word dates back to the mid-19th century, and has taken many forms.

Why Are They Called “Deviled Eggs” If There’s No Devil in Them?

Here's Why Most Tornadoes Occur in the U.S.

Why Does Flushing the Toilet Change the Shower Temperature?

Why Do We Say “Crickets” When It’s Silent?

The Evolution of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’

The Reason Behind Those Brightly Colored Balls Along Power Lines

Why Do Tennis Balls Come in Airtight Containers?

Why So Many Stories Begin With ‘Once Upon a Time’

How Long Can You Leave Your Cat Home Alone?

What Is Code-Switching—And Why Do We Do It?

Why Do Milk Jugs Have Those Inverted Circles?

What Are Those Lines on a Car’s Rear Windshield?

Grasshoppers vs. Locusts: What’s the Difference?

The Possibly Royal Origins of the ‘Jack Sprat’ Nursery Rhyme

Where Does the Word ‘Hoser’ Come From?

Why Is It Called a “Tennis Bracelet”?

Why Does Honey Come in Bear-Shaped Bottles?

Why Do We Say “PU” When Something Stinks?

What Are The Dog Days of Summer?

Why Do People Toss Shoes Over Power Lines?

Why Do Prescription Pills Come in Orange Bottles?

Why Is Depression Sometimes Called “The Black Dog”?

Can Dogs Get Poison Ivy?

Why Does ‘Joshing’ Mean “Kidding Around”?