Mental Floss

NEWS

The world is heating up, and things are often on fire—literally. As we do what we can to squelch the flames, check out some old and obscure words people of the past used when they wanted to talk about all things fire.

Mark Peters








How many of these colors did you know about?

A vast vocabulary of words have been invented, borrowed, and accumulated over the centuries to describe almost every color and shade imaginable.

Paul Anthony Jones, Amanda Green, Ellen Gutoskey


There’s no shortage of theories.

‘For Pete’s sake’ originated around the early 20th century, but the Pete in question may have lived long before that.

Ellen Gutoskey




Get ready for your next nakation.

Nudist Resorts have some simple—and necessary—rules. Here are a few things to keep in mind should you ever find yourself on “nakation.”

Jake Rossen










Get to squashing!

Over the past decade or so, the spotted lanternfly has become one of the most notorious invasive species in the United States. Here’s how it got here, how to spot it—and most importantly, how to kill it.

Mark Mancini