10 Legendary (and Probably Made-Up) Islands
These imaginary isles all have a place in world history, literature, or mythology—despite not having a place on the map.
These imaginary isles all have a place in world history, literature, or mythology—despite not having a place on the map.
Our latest episode of The List Show gets into some illuminating stories, from merpeople (or is that manatees?) to 'pontianak.'
In this episode of The List Show, Mental Floss editor-in-chief Erin McCarthy traces some of the most common myths we've gotten from movies.
Fans of 'The Office' may recognize Belsnickel, but you should also get to know other Christmas monsters like Krampus and the Yule Lads.
Myths about elves predate Christmas and Christianity itself.
When King Tut's tomb was discovered in 1922, some believed the Egyptian pharaoh unleashed a powerful curse upon all who dared to disturb his eternal slumber.
The belief in real-life vampires predates Bram Stoker's legendary novel 'Dracula.'
“Faxlore" marked the transition from oral urban legends to spam emails and copypasta.
Do we really lose the most body heat through our heads? How many senses do we really have? All that and more on this Misconceptions.
When it comes to weird and wacky superstitions, the United Kingdom has developed some real oddities
Take a look at some of the more enduring misconceptions surrounding history's most famous vessel.
Larger-than-life figures tend to inspire myths that fit their reputation, and this is especially true of history’s famous female leaders.
Did George Washington really chop down a cherry tree? Did William Howard Taft really get stuck in the bathtub? Those answers and more.
Why do cats *really* purr? What’s the truth about black cat adoption rates? Find out the answers to those and other cat-related queries.
Groundhogs aren't the only creatures with the powers of prognostication. From badgers to woolly bear caterpillars, these other animals are said to predict the weather.
The Stone Age timeline encompasses a huge chunk of prehistory—and life wasn’t only about hunting and gathering.
And no, we don’t mean ‘Mayan Empire.’ Neither the idea of an empire nor the word ‘Mayan’ in that context makes much sense.
From werewolves to vampires, many classic monster myths attributed to folklore actually originated with horror movies.
If you've managed to get this far in life without swallowing gum, you may ask yourself: Can ingesting gum really hurt you?
The legend of King Arthur has continued to evolve across generations. Though there’s little evidence to suggest the man existed, the world is still enthralled by the myth and the world of Camelot.
Did Napoleon really shoot off the Great Sphinx’s nose? Was King Tut murdered? Those answers and more on this ‘Misconceptions.’
A viral TikTok recently suggested that you can load your PEZ without unwrapping it. But does it actually work?
Do you swear Sinbad starred in a 1990s movie called ‘Shazaam’? You’ve been hit with the Mandela effect.
Almost everyone knows the classic fairy tales like 'Cinderella' and 'Sleeping Beauty.' But you probably haven't heard of 'Hans-My-Hedgehog.'