Mental Floss

NEWS

Lucille Ball was an August baby.

A number of noteworthy historical figures were born in the month of August. We couldn’t possibly name them all, so here are just a handful of lives we’ll be celebrating.

Caitlin Schneider






A woman reading a braille book.

Invented by Louis Braille in 1824, the tactile braille system has helped blind people read and write for nearly 200 years.

Kelli Finger


Knowing a bit of Dutch slang will not just help you find your bearings when you visit Amsterdam and its surroundings, but also earn you respect from the locals—who, despite being great at English, have a strong connection to their mother tongue.

Tim Brinkhof














From Monty Python to Minnesota's SPAM Museum, this little packaged luncheon meat has a big cultural footprint.

Michele Debczak


The tell-tale hourglass identifies female black widow spiders.

Black widow venom is about 15 times as potent as a rattlesnake's, yet these charismatic spiders generally aren't a threat to humans.

Anne Taylor