Mental Floss

POLITICS

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






The U.S. Senate chamber and its rows of desks.

The historic moments that happened at these desks—and the Senate VIPs who sat behind them—mean that some have taken on lives of their own.

Stacy Conradt












Cleopatra depicted in a calendar print by Beatrice Decker.

Cleopatra famously had relationships with the Roman generals Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Less, however, is remembered about the four children she had with these men.

Sarah McGrath






Abenaki filmmaker and performer Alanis Obomsawin

These Indigenous politicians, activists, linguists, teachers, and artists—who work to preserve their heritage and secure civil rights—deserve to be better known.

Yesica Balderrama
Laika, the first dog to go to space.

Whether their fame lasted for 15 minutes or a lifetime, the notoriety these animals received was well-deserved.

Michele Debczak