Stacy Conradt

Joined: Nov 21, 2012

Stacy Conradt has been contributing to Mental Floss since 2008. As an avid board game lover, she is especially fond of her work on Split Decision and Mixed Nuts. In her spare time (ha) she likes to run badly and visit roadside attractions that make most people cringe. She never met an Abe Lincoln tribute she didn't love. If you have one to suggest, let her know at twitter.com/stacy_writes.

10 Famous Uses of the Ouija Board

Elizabeth Taylor, Bela Lugosi, and Bob Marley were buried with some of their most treasured possessions.

The Objects 10 Celebrities Took to the Grave

The Time Wes Craven Called Out a High School in the ‘Scream’ Credits

How 8 Iconic Horror Movie Villains Were Created

Friends consult a Ouija board during a séance.

8 Notorious Séances Involving Celebrities

Harry Houdini and Princess Diana are just a few of the spirits that mediums have tried to contact over the years.

A ‘witch’ grave makes a cemetery even spookier.

The Stories Behind 8 ‘Witch’ Graves

When these supposed spell-casters died, the stories about them lived on.

Portraits of John Quincy Adams (left) and Andrew Jackson (right)

The Time Andrew Jackson Won the Vote But Lost the Presidency

In 1824, Jackson both won the popular vote and got the most votes in the electoral college, but lost the election anyway.

That little pocket was originally intended to hold something else.

The Forgotten Uses of 9 Everyday Objects

The tiny little pocket on your jeans, the hole in your pot handle, and the drawer under your oven were designed with specific purposes in mind.

Abraham Lincoln just after uttering his last words.

The Last Words and Final Moments of 39 U.S. Presidents

Some presidents’ last words have been profound (“This is the last of earth; I am content”) and others have been merely practical (“Help!”).

A portrait of the scientists who found and examined the Piltdown Man skull (accompanied by a picture of Charles Darwin on the wall).

10 Famous Archaeological Hoaxes

From forged artworks to fake mummies and even fraudulent orangutan bones, archaeological hoaxes fool scientists and stir the public’s imagination—until the culprits are forced to come clean.

These languages have disappeared—but some of them are making a comeback.

11 Extinct, Dead, and Dormant U.S. Languages

Not all languages stick around forever. Some of these 11 tongues are extinct, some are dead or dormant, and some are finding new life.

Olympic individual neutral athlete Daniil Medvedev is one of the Russian competitors at the Paris Games.

What Song Is Played If a Stateless Olympian Wins a Gold Medal?

No, they can’t pick their own anthem for their medal ceremony.

One Misconception About 64 Different Animals

Let’s debunk a few dozen popular myths about familiar animals, including squeamish elephants, laugh-loving hyenas, and sweaty pigs.

Whitewater rafters carry the Olympic torch on its way to Paris.

How Is the Olympic Flame Lit—and How Does It Stay Lit?

This year, the Olympic torch made a symbolic journey from Greece to Paris for the Summer Games.

The Vice President Who Wrote a Hit Song

Long before he was Calvin Coolidge’s vice president, Charles Dawes wrote an instrumental piece called “Melody in A Major” that later became a #1 hit.

The Radcliffe Camera at the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world.

10 of the Oldest Universities in the World That Are Still Operating

While many of these hallowed halls have gone through changes over the years, they remain among the oldest universities still operating.