The Best of Mental Floss

It is possible to Google search a phrase, song lyric, or movie title if you don't remember an important keyword.

‘Cacao’ and ‘cocoa’ started out as synonyms—but there’s a little more to unpack in today’s product labels.

It’s partly thanks to the popularity of roasted Brussels sprouts over boiled ones—but that’s not the whole story.

Comedy generates an immediate, undeniable audience response. If people are smiling and laughing, then there's a good chance you made an effective funny movie.

From a 175-year-old farmhouse to a luxury lodge on the Grand Canyon, these are the most historic places to stay in eight national park properties.

A picture’s worth a thousand words—but sometimes, you also want the words.

How did Americans make money during the Great Depression? Some sold apples on street corners and others became migrant farmers. But about 2 million Americans tried to strike it rich another way: By…

Every person on Earth is living in the past, and more facts about time that are likely to hurt your brain.

Hearing "tell me about yourself" is an intimidating way to start a job interview, but there is a right way to answer the question.

While the exact phrase didn’t enter the language until the 1930s, using children as a means to raise funds for hospitals goes way back.

From ancient Mesopotamia to New York deli counters, pickles have played a vital role in the global culinary scene. But where do pickles come from, and how did the cucumber become the standard-issue…

The Lykov family left Russian society under persecution in the 1930s and remained hidden until 1978.

Almost everyone knows the classic fairy tales like 'Cinderella' and 'Sleeping Beauty.' But you probably haven't heard of 'Hans-My-Hedgehog.'