Mental Floss

NEWS





Ryan Gosling in ‘Drive’ (2011).

Nicolas Winding Refn, who directed, doesn’t even have his driver’s license—and nine other things you need to know about this Ryan Gosling film.

Mike Rampton




A scanning electron micrograph of ‘Mycobacterium tuberculosis’ particles (colorized red), the bacterium that causes TB.

Ailments as diverse as tooth decay and malaria have caused suffering for thousands, even millions, of years—and they’re not done with us yet.

Liz Langley






Everything from ‘Jolene’ to ‘Waterloo’ is hitting the big 5-0 in 2024. Give ’em a spin.

Kenneth Partridge










Next time, do yourself a favor and throw on a pair before you hop in the shower.

The German national soccer team was looking for shoes to wear in the shower to prevent athlete’s foot. Adidas founder Adi Dassler offered an innovative solution: shower shoes.

Chason Gordon