Erin McCarthy
Joined: Nov 21, 2012
Erin is the Editor-in-Chief of MentalFloss.com, host of The List Show and Throwback on YouTube, editor of Mental Floss's book The Curious Reader, and the creator, executive producer, and host of the History Vs. podcast. She joined Mental Floss in 2012. Previously, she covered everything from natural disasters to bridge engineering to the science behind sci-fi movies for Popular Mechanics magazine. Her work has appeared in O: The Oprah Magazine, Town and Country, Parents, and Esquire. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her karaoking, reading, or hanging out with her cats, Oliver and Pearl. She lives in New York.
18 Old-Timey Words and Terms to Use On New Year’s Eve
15 Thanksgiving Dinner Disasters (And How to Avoid Them)
6 Fascinating Facts About Ha Jin’s ‘Waiting’
15 Hilariously Terrible Reviews of Wonderful Museums
From the Philadelphia Museum of Art to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, no institution is safe from terrible reviews.
How Did the Teddy Bear Get Its Name?
The origins of the teddy bear involve President Theodore Roosevelt, a bear hunt, a political cartoon, and the owner of a candy shop in New York.
22 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.
11 Female Gymnasts With Skills Named After Them
At the Olympics, some athletes will be performing tried and true moves. Others might be throwing new skills that will one day bear their names.
16 Fascinating Facts About ‘Glee’
From auditions gone wrong to a spin-off that never was, here’s what you missed on ‘Glee.’
When Theodore Roosevelt Urged Americans to “Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick”
Roosevelt launched one of his most famous sayings at the Minnesota State Fair in September 1901—just two weeks before he became president.
10 Misconceptions About the 1950s
The ‘50s weren't all nuclear families with white picket fences and questionable Jell-O recipes.
13 People Who Operated on Themselves
From the Founding Father who stuck whalebone where he shouldn’t have to the only known woman to have given herself a C-section.
23 Facts About ‘Lost’
What began as a show about the survivors of a plane crash attempting to survive all alone on a tropical island quickly turned into something much different—and weirder.
The History of the Trapper Keeper
Here's how your favorite old-school school supply became an icon.
How Many Words Are There in the English Language?
It’s complicated—and there are more questions than answers.
10 Great Gifts for Introverts
Your favorite homebody is sure to appreciate any of the gifts on this list.