Mental Floss

BIG QUESTIONS

Portrait of people wearing jeans

There’s a two-part history to the origins of why we call pants a “pair” when it’s only one item of clothing. We explore the interesting background here.

Paul Anthony Jones




Head with brain activity

Do you swear you think back to your childhood when you smell a certain type of cookie? There’s a science behind the phenomenon.

Paul Anthony Jones




Calendar monthly strip

You’ll need to look back to Ancient Roman history to learn how the modern-day months got their names—and what they were called before.

Eric Vanderwall

Let’s take a look at the different processes for creating life-saving vaccines for multiple diseases.

Tara Smith

Tiny people giggle at everything from tickling to peek-a-boo to silly faces. But do they really have a sense of humor?

Jake Rossen