Mental Floss
  • AMAZING FACTS
  • BIG QUESTIONS
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #TBT
    • MOVIES
    • MUSIC
    • POP CULTURE
    • TV
  • HISTORY
    • HISTORY
    • ARCHAEOLOGY
    • BAD OLD DAYS WITH A.J. JACOBS
    • BIOGRAPHIES
    • KING TUT
    • TITANIC
    • WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
  • LISTS
    • LISTS
    • BOOKS
    • FOOD
    • LANGUAGE
    • WORDS
  • LIVE SMARTER
    • LIVE SMARTER
    • HEALTH
    • SMART SHOPPING
    • TRAVEL
    • HACKS
    • FUN
  • QUIZZES
    • QUIZZES
    • KENNECTIONS WITH KEN JENNINGS
    • BRAINTEASERS
  • SCIENCE
    • SCIENCE
    • ANIMALS
    • ENVIRONMENT
    • SPACE
  • ALL STORIES
  • NEWSLETTER
      Mental Floss

      WEIRD

      “[They] forced the conqueror of conquerors ... to retreat and leave them in possession of the field.”

      The Time Napoleon Was Attacked by Rabbits

      History tells us that Napoleon’s most upsetting defeat came at Waterloo. But it may have actually occurred eight years earlier, after the French emperor was attacked by a relentless horde of rabbits.

      Lucas Reilly

      Gallaher's Cigarettes recommended a hack that involved setting butter on fire.

      25 Weird Old-Timey Life Hacks

      From raw beef for wrinkle prevention to cleaning paintings with potatoes, here are some of the most memorable life hacks from days of yore.

      Ellen Gutoskey

      Wallace Gough was one strong baby.

      'Little Hercules': When 1940s Audiences Were Awed by Wallace Gough, World's Strongest Baby

      in the 1940s, mighty tot Wallace could do chin-ups and climb ladders, all thanks to a "secret formula" added to his milk.

      Jake Rossen



      If someone were to mention the word 'Fartulum' to you, a snail probably wouldn't be the first thing that came to mind.

      11 Naughty-Sounding Scientific Names (and What They Really Mean)

      Perfectly innocent Latin or Greekisms that just happen to sound like something else.

      Arika Okrent


      Mike Meaney prepares to go underground.

      'The Coffin Man': Michael “Mick” Meaney, Who Volunteered to Be Buried Alive for 61 Days

      One of the hottest fads of the 1960s was being buried alive. Irishman Mike Meaney thought he could take the title away from a Texan.

      Jake Rossen


      Pink Trombone is an simulator that simulates how speech is made.

      Play With An Odd Voice Simulator That Mimics How Your Mouth Creates Sound

      How many sounds can you figure out how to make?

      Shaunacy Ferro


      The ultimate oops.

      4 People Who Were Buried Alive (And How They Got Out)

      While many reported cases of burials of the living were exaggerated, there are a few cases of people who went into their graves while still breathing.

      Kelli Marshall
      NEXT
      Mental Floss
      ABOUT
      CONTACT US
      NEWSLETTERS
      PRIVACY POLICY
      COOKIE POLICY
      TERMS OF SERVICE
      ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
      SITEMAP
      A-Z Index

      © 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved