Mental Floss

MF EXPLAINS IT ALL









How loud a fart is depends on a couple of factors.

Farts can make a lot of different noises. Some are high and squeaky, while others explode like a car backfiring—and some don’t make any noise at all.

Autumn Spanne




How did ‘Scrabble’'s makers decide how many points each letter was worth? It started with an unemployed architect during the Great Depression, and it has stayed the same ever since.

Ellen Gutoskey




It had a little something to do with syphilis.

For nearly two centuries, powdered wigs—called perukes—were all the rage. The chic hairpiece would have never become popular, however, if it hadn't been for a venereal disease, a pair of self-conscious kings, and poor hair hygiene.

Lucas Reilly