Erin McCarthy

Follow @erincmccarthy

Erin is the Editor-in-Chief of MentalFloss.com. Previously, she covered everything from natural disasters to bridge engineering to the science behind sci-fi movies for Popular Mechanics magazine. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her karaoking, reading non-fiction, watching Investigation Discovery and hockey (go NYR!), or hanging out with her cats, Oliver and Pearl.

7 Fascinating Facts About the First American Novel

On this date in 1789, Boston bookseller Isaiah Thomas and Company published The Power of Sympathy: or, The Triumph of Nature, which is generally considered to be the first American novel.... READ ON

8 Tips for Beating a Claw Machine

Successfully extricating a prize from a claw machine takes skills.... READ ON

14 Candid Photos of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today is the federal holiday that celebrates the life of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. The holiday—signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, and observed since 1986—is held on the third Monday in January. (King was born on January 15.) Here's a look back at King in action.... READ ON

13 Products to Help You Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

According to FiveThirtyEight, more than 25 percent of people who make resolutions break them in the two weeks of the new year. If you’ve remained resolute, congratulations! Here are a few products that will help you stay strong.... READ ON

10 Brilliant 'Hamilton' Mashups

12 Kooky Facts About Koosh Balls

Those energy-absorbent balls were practically an overnight success story.... READ ON

11 Ways School Was Different in the 1800s

This week, most kids in the United States are returning to school after the summer break—and they’re probably not thrilled about going back. But taking a look at what American schools were like in the 1800s might convince them how much tougher it could be—and just how good they’ve got it.... READ ON

This Video of a Baby Polar Bear Dreaming is the Cutest Thing You'll See Today

Aww!... READ ON

Mattress Company Makes "Bunk Beds" for People and Their Pets

Colchão Inteligente Postural’s mattress allows pet owners to share a bed with their dogs or cats without having to jockey for sleeping space.... READ ON

25 Spirited Facts About the 'Anne of Green Gables' Miniseries

Kindred spirits the world over are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the beloved 'Anne of Green Gables' miniseries.... READ ON

Watch 'Clarissa Explains It All' Fans Read Their Fan Mail 20 Years Later

One fan, in his letter, talked about the birth of his baby brother; another, who said in her letter that she’d gotten roles in school plays, confesses that that had been a lie.... READ ON

Pier 1's Holiday Catalog is Also a Pop-Up Book

This holiday season, Pier 1 Imports is putting a fun spin on its traditional Christmas catalog.... READ ON

J.J. Abrams and 'Hamilton' Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda Wrote Music for 'Star Wars'

Talk about wanting to be in the room where it happens.... READ ON

11 Brilliant Gifts for the Camper in Your Life

There's no reason adventure seekers shouldn't be roughing it in style.... READ ON

10 Things We Learned from the Discovery of King Tut Exhibition

No Egyptian Pharaoh has fascinated modern people like Tutankhamun.... READ ON

13 Scientific Terms Even Smart People Misuse

The good people of the American Museum of Natural History set the record straight.... READ ON

Thanksgiving Dinner Disasters and How to Avoid Them

Cooking dinner on Thanksgiving is pressure enough without a calamity derailing the affair.... READ ON

17 Secrets of a Competitive Eating Champion

Yasir Salem is a seasoned competitive eater, ranked #11 in the world. Here's how he does it.... READ ON

11 Brilliant Gifts for the Cat Lover in Your Life

Not sure what to get the ailurophile in your life? Here are a few suggestions for lovers of all things cat—and their favorite felines.... READ ON

11 Brilliant Gifts for the Harry Potter Fan in Your Life

These presents are so magical, they’ll have wizards and Muggles alike crying “Accio gifts!”... READ ON

20 Things You Might Not Have Known About Hamilton

Why George Washington's death was cut, and more...... READ ON

The Snacks-by-Mail Company Graze Turns Snacking into a Science

When they’re delivered, the boxes look almost like a regular package: Plain brown cardboard, small enough to fit in the mailbox. But these boxes aren’t regular packages, because inside, there are snacks.... READ ON

12 Things You Won't See on Display at The Field Museum

Earlier this year, mental_floss visited The Field Museum to take a peek at the institution's research collections; here are a few things we saw behind the scenes.... READ ON

Plot for Harry Potter Spin-off 'Fantastic Beasts' Revealed

Get the scoop on what to expect from J.K. Rowling's first-ever screenplay.... READ ON

10 Fascinating Facts About Your Microbiome

No man is an island, but every man and woman is an ecosystem.... READ ON

This Limited Edition Bottle of Patrón Costs $7500

For the boozehound who has everything.... READ ON

12 Things You Didn't Know About Sarah Vowell

The author tells us about her musical beginnings, dirty laundry, and love of index cards.... READ ON

13 Retro Halloween Party Activities for Your Spooky Shindig

6 Inventors Killed by Their Own Inventions

Sometimes brilliance comes with a price.... READ ON

11 Tips for Carving a Better Jack O'Lantern

Forget two triangles and a toothy grin; this Halloween, take your jack o'lanterns to the next level.... READ ON

Official Art and Plot Synopsis for 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' Revealed

As Rowling promised, it’s not a prequel, but a story about Harry and his youngest son—and it seems that all is not well after all.... READ ON

22 'Hamilton' Lyrics, Explained

After centuries of being best known as the guy who was killed by Aaron Burr, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical, 'Hamilton,' is bringing the achievements of the "10-dollar founding father" front and center.... READ ON

The Craziest Myths the MythBusters Have Tackled, According to the MythBusters

To celebrate the new season of MythBusters (check out the epic sizzle reel here) premiering this Sunday at 8pm ET/PT on the Discovery Channel, we asked hosts Jamie Hyneman, Adam Savage, Grant Imahara, Kari Byron and Tory Belleci to pick the most insane myths they’ve ever tackled in their decade of busting. Here's what they said.Jamie... READ ON

9 Spooky Spells from an Icelandic Book of Sorcery

'Sorcerer's Screed' was first published in 1940.... READ ON

7 Gorgeous Old Illustrations of Sea Creatures

The ocean is full of incredible creatures vying for our attention. The Rare Book Room at the American Museum of Natural History is giving them the spotlight they deserve... READ ON

12 Fun Facts About Dollywood

I spent last weekend running around Dollywood, the amusement park created by country singer Dolly Parton. In addition to have a ton of fun, I learned a ton when I was there—not just about Parton, but about the area, too. Here's a sampling.... READ ON

5 Deliciously Illegal Food Crimes

Think smuggling and heists are just for drugs, jewels, and art? Think again. Here are five instances of food-related theft.... READ ON

Spend the Night in Paris's Bone-Filled Catacombs

Lodging website Airbnb isn’t hurting for unusual accommodations, but none of them have the spook factor of its latest listing.... READ ON

How NASA and Ridley Scott Collaborated to Make 'The Martian'

After a moment of disbelief ("I said, 'The Ridley Scott?!’"), James Green, director of NASA’s Planetary Sciences Division, didn’t hesitate. “I said, ‘Yes! I’ll clear my calendar!’”... READ ON

18 Stylish Facts About Anthropologie

You might have bought a dress on its website, or paged longingly through its catalog, or rifled through its quirky offerings in store—but there’s probably still a lot you don’t know about Anthropologie.... READ ON

8 Tips for Packing Your Car for a Camping Trip

By following these tips, you can quickly and painlessly load up a car, no matter what you’re packing for.... READ ON

The Beetles that Work at Natural History Museums

Scientists put these bugs to work in museums doing exactly what they do in nature.... READ ON

25 Spirited Facts About American Girl Dolls

A detailed history of your favorite childhood dolls and books.... READ ON

The 6 Dirtiest Places in Airplanes and Airports

Surprisingly, bathrooms were actually cleaner than many other places.... READ ON

Gorgeous Double Exposure Animal Portraits You'll Want for Your Wall

The Lost Book of Titian Peale, America's First Lepidopterist

Titian Ramsey Peale II went to his grave in 1885 believing that his life’s greatest work would never be published. It finally has been.... READ ON

Scientist Uses Vegemite to Conduct Electricity

The yeast-extract spread contains ions and water, which makes it a good conductor of electricity.... READ ON

How to Make Your Own Sriracha 'Caviar'

23 Mighty Facts About 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers'

For three years in the mid-1990s, kids across the country tuned in six days a week to watch five teenagers from Angel Grove transform into superheroes.... READ ON

Your Favorite Scientists as Paper Dolls

Featuring everyone from Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla to Ada Lovelace and Alan Turing.... READ ON

Popular on Mentalfloss

MENTAL FLOSS

FLOOR8 12UP 90MIN

FLOOR8 12UP 90MIN