Home for all things curious, including surprising facts; answers to life's big questions; and untold
(1)
Did you know Robert De Niro turned down the role of Harry Lime in Home Alone?
On November 16, 1990, what appeared to be a fun-filled little family yarn about a kid left to his own devices at Christmastime and forced to fend off a couple of bungling burglars became an instant classic.
Did you know lobsters p*e out of their faces? đŠđČ
No Mental Floss celebrationâand no celebration of Mental Flossâwould be complete without dropping a few fascinating facts and tidbits of trivia.
A delicious bowl of stuffing...or is it dressing?
For carbohydrate lovers, nothing completes a Thanksgiving meal quite like stuffing ... or is it dressing? It depends on who you ask.
When you sit down to dinner on the fourth Thursday in November, be thankful for these foods that werenât a supermarket-trip away in 1621.
When the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people shared the first Thanksgiving in 1621, sweet potatoes, pie, and cranberry sauce were missing from the table.
Is this Bloody Mary part of the problem or solution?
The hair of the dog is one of the oldest hangover cures still around today. But can it really save you from that pounding headache?
Poster for a horror movie, or cute family photo from Halloween 1960?
Here are vintage photos of terrifying costumes from Halloweens past. Sorry in advance for the nightmares.
The delicious defendant. đ
The most important story you'll read this week: A strawberry-loving consumer is alleging Kellogg's is using red food dye and dried pears to make people believe their Pop-Tart contains more strawberry than it actually does.
8. Someone called the cops thinking Danielle Harris was really in danger while filming Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers đ±
Like its white-masked serial killer Michael Myers, the 'Halloween' franchise itself cannot be killedâfor better or wose.
According to one medium, the toy store was haunted by the spirit of a lovelorn farmhand. đ»
At the supposedly haunted Toy "R" Us in Sunnyvale, California, employees reported mysterious chills and toys flying off the shelves.
To this day, no one knows what happened to Masterpiece.
Masterpiece the Toy Poodle was a prized pet. But despite his fame, his mysterious disappearance in 1953 remains unsolved.
As lit jack-oâ-lanterns beckon and monsters lurk in the shadows, we explore the origins of 25 frightful things that go bumpâor booâin the night. đ
From myths to literature to giant squid, here's how some of our favorite eerie creatures and legends got their start.
Those little "seeds" are actually ovaries called "achenes." đâ
250 participants watched all 30 movies while hooked up to heart rate monitors, so they could assess how pulse-pounding each program actually was...
The scariest horror movies of all time, from âHostâ to âThe Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,â will have your pulse pounding (literally).
Among the biggest actors to almost make it: Cary Grant, Richard Burton, Michael Gambon, Burt Reynolds, James Brolin, Sam Neill, and Ewan McGregor. Hey, there's still time for some of them to make the cut!
Six decades, 25 films, six actors, and billions of dollars in box office later, and we're still talking about James Bond, his literary legacy, and his big screen adventures.
Have a lookâpreferably under the covers and with a flashlightâat these 11 terrifying tales that actually happened.
Sorry to tell you, but killers really have crawled out of medicine cabinets to attack their victims.
Monuments, statues, houses, cars, and even sneakers have been built out of spite.
Spite causes us to act in ways that might cause us to suffer but somehow still feels so good. Perhaps that's why people have built literal monuments to spite.
Did you know beavers are romantics at heart? Dams are usually started by a young male looking for love or by a mated-for-life new couple. đŠ«â€ïž
Beavers' ability to shape their environment is beyond impressiveâbut you already knew about the dam building. Letâs look at some other things that make beavers incredible.
If an unverified gossip account on Instagram posts that your favorite celebrity couple just broke up, you might take that rumor with a grain of salt.
âTake it with a grain of saltâ all (probably) started with Pliny the Elder, but he was talking about literal poison.
From blood banks to barcodes and beyond, here are the stories behind 20 inventions that changed the world.
From blood banks and barcodes to the Super Soaker and the pizza box, here are the fascinating stories behind inventions that changed the world.
âSometimes there are really tense moments for us, where we're thinking this bear is going to win, then all of a sudden a dark horseâor a dark bearâappears as the fan favorite...â
Fat Bear Week in Alaska's Katmai National Park is like March Madness for people who would rather watch wildlife webcams than sports.
With dozens of streaming services and TV series with feature film-level budgets and production values, this is the golden age of binge watching. Take our quiz to figure out what should be next for your couch time.
This is the golden age of binge watching. Take the What Should I Binge quiz from and for binge recommendations.
The face that launched a thousand angry letters.
Chewing bubblegum, eating a chocolate bar, and sucking on a lollipop are among the many innocent joys of childhood. But if you found one of these controversial sweets in your kid's trick-or-treat bag, it might leave a sour taste in your mouth.
Enter if you dare.
Spend this Halloween season with the best films from horror master Stephen King, and get paid $1300 for your bravery.
For pet owners, the Roomba automated vacuum has been both a blessing and a curse.
Roomba's new vacuum solves a problem that's been plaguing pet owners for years: How to dispatch an automated vacuum and have it avoid smearing dog p**p around in the process.
đ„đ„đ„
There's a German word for everything. đŹâ
You probably weren't expecting to find Brian Baumgartner, better known as Kevin from The Office, on a list of top celebrities for 2021.
Cameo's list of the 20 most requested TV stars of 2021 is full of surprises, and includes celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, James Marsters, and others.
Itâs a mystery that has puzzled McDonaldâs fans and Golden Arches history buffs for decades: What, exactly, is genial purple blob Grimaceâthe teardrop-shaped and expressive mascot that looks like no species on the planetâsupposed to be?
To some, Grimace is a dimwitted creature hailing from McDonaldland. To others, he looks like a ruptured sc***um. A McDonald's manager may have finally revealed what he really is.
"If you ever want someone to confess to murder, just make him or her sit through that film. They will confess to anything after 15 minutes."
From what inspired Candyman and the Mothman to the tales about alligators in the sewers and killers calling from inside the house, we're breaking down the origins of 15 urban legends.
From what inspired Candyman and the Mothman to the tales about alligators in the sewers and killers calling from inside the house, we're breaking down the origins of popular urban legends.
Service animals can work to make life easier for people, from guide dogs to emotional support pets. But one preschool in New Zealand is thinking outside the box.
A hen named Henry patrols the parking area of a New Zealand preschool. According to one student, Henry ensures that "when cars come, they don't drive over the children."
Do you see any resemblance? đâ
â
Test your knowledge! How many did you get correct?
Can you identify North American wildlife like bobcats, coyotes, and elk using just pictures?
Pluto lost its planetary status 15 years ago today. :( - with Jeopardy!
The film is moving enough as it is, but according to one fan theory, there's an even darker layer to the story that you may have missed on your first viewing.
Pixar's 'Up' was sad enough when it came out in 2009, and this dark fan theory somehow makes the movie even more depressing.
Lefties, your time has come.
If you find yourself frustrated at the lack of leftie-friendly options on your Android phone, there's an easy way to turn everything around.
When the foam settled, the crowd of aquarium guests saw a partially-digested human arm floating on the poolâs surface...
In 1935, a tiger shark on display at the Coogee Aquarium in Sydney, Australia, regurgitated a human arm. The strange incident was just the beginning of one of the country's most twisted murder cases.
While accidents and incidents do happen, in this day and age, roller coasters are generally considered safe. This wasnât always the case.
Today's amusement parks have long lines, loud rides, and obnoxious patronsâbut amusement parks of yore were far worse. They were bloody, sexist, racist, and basically a hellish mess.
Today marks the 175th anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution. - with Jeopardy!
How far does your money go in each state?
Skip the iced milk and cherries.
President Zachary Taylor died after eating iced milk and cherries. He's hardly the first personâor the lastâto meet his or her demise from eating or swallowing something suspicious. Here are 10 others.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mental Floss Facts posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Want your business to be the top-listed Media Company?
