Mental Floss

ALL STORIES



Cool jacket optional.

Can FBI agents really take over crime scenes? Do they hunt serial killers? Find out in this list of common FBI misconceptions.

Jake Rossen


Cupcakes are older than you might think.

Whether you’re wild about whoopie pie, can’t get enough cotton candy, or simply want s’more s’mores, finding out more about the origins of these tasty treats is pretty sweet.

Amanda Green




Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

After Ralph Anspach created an anti-monopoly game, he ended up in the middle of a controversial patent case with Parker Brothers over the history of ‘Monopoly’ itself.

David W Brown










A Freedom Rider getting kicked out of a bus depot, 1961.

Hundreds of civil rights activists calling themselves Freedom Riders bravely held the nation accountable to its rules against segregation in 1961. Here are the facts you need to know.

Mark Mancini


The Southernmost part of the United States (or not).

Florida is known for its alligator sightings, weird crimes, and Disney World. But how much of what you think you know about the Sunshine State is true?

mentalfloss .com




That’s a groundhog who was woken up too early.

Will the groundhog see its shadow? Uncover the history and folklore behind Groundhog Day and its connection to weather forecasting.

Miss Cellania