Mental Floss

MF EXPLAINS IT ALL

Here's hoping this one is crisp.

A mushy pickle isn’t always a sign the food has gone bad. Here’s how to tell if your pickles are no longer safe to eat.

Sam Hindman








We can thank Shakespeare for popularizing it, sort of.

Contrary to popular belief, Shakespeare wasn’t the one who invented this common idiom. But trying to unravel its origins will land you in a bit of a tricky situation.

Mike Rampton














Taylor Swift is just the latest in a long line of musicians who like to employ a “fade-out,” where the song gets gradually quieter in the closing seconds.

Kenneth Partridge


Red foxes in particular are very adaptable carnivores.

Uncover the unique culinary preferences of foxes, including the differences in what rural vs. urban foxes eat and how red foxes fit into the equation.

Rudie Obias