Mental Floss

NEWS













The cover of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.'

Do you know the meaning behind Harry Potter spells like Expelliarmus and Wingardium Leviosa? How about where Dumbledore’s name comes from, or the debated etymology of horcrux?

Meredith Danko




Caroline Schermerhorn Astor ruled New York City in the Gilded Age.

For more than a century, the Astors were the richest family in America, and their shrewd marriages linked them to some of the most politically powerful families.

Samantha Arrowsmith




7-Eleven convenience store signage in downtown Toronto.

Before you head out for a Slurpee, read up on the world's most popular convenience store.

Rob Lammle




Norma McCorvey and lawyer Gloria Allred attend a rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court Building in 1989.

The woman known as "Jane Roe" left an enormous mark on the nation’s political landscape—one that’s still at the fore a half-century later.

Kristin Hunt