Mental Floss

BIG QUESTIONS

Ever notice your phone camera flips selfies? Here’s why images appear mirrored, how front-facing cameras work, and what’s really happening behind the scenes.

Nitya Rao








Explore what makes something vintage, including age, style, and cultural relevance, and how it compares to antique and retro categories.

Nitya Rao








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