MF Explains It All

So, you’d like to write for Mental Floss? We've assembled a handful of helpful tips to help you craft the best pitch possible.

ALDI has a very clever approach to cutting costs.

ALDI, the popular discount food chain, defies retail convention by muting speakers. Here's why music isn't part of their inventory.

Buying cold milk is a very American phenomenon.

In the United States, most milk is sold in the refrigerated section. In other parts of the world, it's sold at room temperature. Why?

Steve Jobs reveals the iPhone 4 at a conference in 2010.

If you assumed the now-ubiquitous lowercase ‘i’ meant ‘internet,’ you’re not wrong—but that’s only part of it.

F and J aren't the most important letters in the alphabet, but they might be the most important ones on the keyboard.

If you’re trained in Mavis Beacon’s method of touch-typing, you might rely on those bumps more than you realize.

Spearmint and peppermint have slightly different uses, but either one makes a great addition to any herb garden.

They’ll both leave your mouth feeling minty fresh, but one type of mint might do a better job than the other.

The new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can be transmitted through saliva droplets coughed into the air. Here's the terminology you need to know to understand its transmission.

She may decide to use might in her essay.

'May' and 'might' are two modal verbs that are often used interchangeably, but there are grammar rules governing which one is technically correct.

Consumers are used to options, but with toilet paper, it's white or nothing. The reason why is a little messy.

Stained-glass windows showing Saints Victor and Corona in Redeemer Church in Trentino, Italy.

The coincidence that Corona happens to be the patron saint of epidemics or infectious diseases seems a little fishy.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIH, Flickr // Public Domain

You may be feeling a lot of anxiety over the new coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes. Here are some panic-free pointers to get you through this pandemic.

At McDonald's, you could probably quench the thirst of a family of four for just $1.

The $1 soft drinks and other items on the McDonald’s Dollar Menu are a clever way to get you in the door.

This IKEA mug has a low-key design element that might make your day a little easier.

The VARDAGEN series from IKEA features mugs and teacups with tiny chips on the bottom. It's not a shipping mishap. It's intentional.

Hotels often offer a complimentary pastry and fruit breakfast.

Hotels offer pastries, fruit, and coffee as a guest perk. But what makes it a 'continental' breakfast?

Returning a mail-order mattress is more complicated than it sounds.

Mail-order mattress companies make solemn oaths that consumers can return purchases. The problem is that the companies can't accept them. So what happens next?

The story of March Madness has everything: Chaucer, sex-crazed hares, Alice in Wonderland, lawsuits, and a basketball coach-turned-poet from Illinois.

Coronavirus precautions have led to questions over methods of isolation.

Viral outbreaks often necessitate patient isolation or quarantine. But what separates each separation?

Though it's the official dish of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day in America, corned beef and cabbage was actually popularized in New York City.

Of all the personal essentials needed in the event of a national health concern, why are people stocking up on Charmin?

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh during a visit to Australia in 2011.

It’s unnecessary for the queen to carry a UK passport, but the perk doesn’t extend to the rest of the royal family.

Sadly, ALDI doesn't stand for “Awesome Lunch and Dinner Items” or “Always Loving Discounts, Inc.”

The first ALDI locations bore a different name, but the owners had changed it by the time they had brought their grocery stores to the U.S.

Height isn't the only difference between horses and ponies.

Knowing your equines is no mere horseplay. Here's how to tell the difference between horses, ponies, and even miniature horses.

If you want to win your next game of Monopoly, follow these strategic rules and dominate the competition.

Looks like these stickers were handed out at a primary, not a caucus.

Primary elections help us decide which presidential candidates will compete in the general election, but the processes vary by state.

How to Pitch a Story to Mental Floss

The Surprising Reason ALDI Doesn't Play Music

The Reason Americans Buy Refrigerated Milk and Europeans Don't

What Does the i in iPhone Stand For?

Why Are There Bumps on the F and J Buttons on a Computer Keyboard?

Peppermint vs. Spearmint: What’s the Difference?

Airborne vs. Aerosol vs. Droplet: What's the Difference?

May vs. Might: When to Use Each Word

The Reason Toilet Paper Is Always White

Is St. Corona Really the Patron Saint of Pandemics, Epidemics, or Plagues?

15 Frequently Asked Questions About Coronavirus and COVID-19

The Reason Why McDonald’s Soft Drinks Are All $1—Regardless of Size

The Smart Reason IKEA Mugs Come With a Chip on the Bottom

What Makes a Hotel Breakfast 'Continental'?

Here's What Happens to Returned Mail-Order Mattresses

Why Do We Call the NCAA Basketball Tournament 'March Madness'?

Isolation vs. Quarantine: What's the Difference?

Why We Eat Corned Beef and Cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day

The Psychological Reason Coronavirus Is Prompting People to Hoard Toilet Paper

Why Queen Elizabeth II Doesn’t Need a Passport to Travel Abroad

What Does ALDI Stand For, Anyway?

What's the Difference Between Horses and Ponies?

How to Win Your Next Game of Monopoly

What’s the Difference Between a Primary and a Caucus?