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You can skip a couple vowels here ... but which ones?

The 20 Most Commonly Mispronounced Names in the World

Here are 20 of the world's trickiest names, from ‘Sean’ to ‘Saoirse.’ (No, they’re not all Irish.)

11 Facts That Could Save Your Life

We’re covering practical tips (like the scent that will alert you to an impending electrical fire) to decidedly stranger ones (how to get out of a kangaroo attack) in the latest episode of The List Show.

“Itsy Bitsy Spider”: The History of the Classic Nursery Rhyme

Early versions of the rhyme included the words ‘bloody’ and ‘blooming’—and sometimes didn’t feature a spider at all.

The cover of Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Little Women.’

11 Fascinating Facts About Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Little Women’

“Little Women” is one of the world's most beloved novels—but Louisa May Alcott only wrote it to help her father get a publishing contract.

Your new favorite book is just a click away.

Find Your Next Favorite Book, Movie, Band, and More with This New Media Recommendation Tool

The Global Network of Discovery offers an endless stream of recommendations specific to you.

This Italian Island Is Giving Away Free Goats

The tiny island of Alicudi has six goats for every person.

Do you know your leopards from your jaguars?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Animals—And How to Tell the Difference

You won't confuse a moth and a butterfly or an alligator and a crocodile again.

Jazz Up Your Vocabulary With Mental Floss’s 2025 Word Nerd Desk Calendar

Our 2025 word-a-day calendar covers old-timey slang terms, fascinating phrase origins, and more.

Why Do Some Birds Sing, While Others Caw?

Birds are a noisy bunch, and there's a lot of variation when it comes to avian vocalizations.

Copper and Tod in the 1981 Disney adaptation of ‘The Fox and the Hound.’

10 Fantastic Fictional Foxes

From Reynard to Robin Hood, these fictional foxes all left a lasting impression.

Plenty of songs take their inspiration from actual people.

The Real People and Events Mentioned in 11 Hit Songs

Some songs remain mysterious. Others, like "My Sharona," have a clear (albeit disturbing) origin.

An illustration of Samuel Morse and company sending the first telegraph message from 'The Story of the Nineteenth Century of the Christian Era,' 1900.

‘What Hath God Wrought’: The Biblical Phrase That Made Scientific History

The origins of ‘what hath God wrought’ go much farther back than the first telegraph message.

14 Very Valuable Coins That May Be Sitting In Your Coin Jar

Got a double-ear Lincoln penny or a coin that reads "In God We Rust"? You're in luck: They're worth money.

Mint pesto pasta: It's what's for dinner.

This Pea and Mint Pesto Pasta Comes Together in Two Steps

If you decide to swap in walnuts for pine nuts, the recipe is cheap and delicious.

A Sherlock Holmes Story Handwritten by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Could Net $1.2 Million at Auction

The original manuscript is one of the few Holmes drafts to ever come up for sale.

Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, and Matthew Perry in ‘Friends.’

10 Intriguing ‘Friends’ Fan Theories

Did 'Friends' actually take place in a psych ward? Was it just one long promotion for Starbucks? Here are all the wildest 'Friends' fan theories.

Why Are Michigan’s Bottle Deposits So High?

Michigan maintains one of the most successful bottle return programs in America.

10 Things About Old Telephones That Might Confuse Young People

People who grew up with smartphones probably never gotten their hair tangled in a coiled phone cord while holding the receiver with their shoulders. Here are some other aspects of old-school telephones that young people might find confusing.

The Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and his companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) are ready for their close-up.

This Interactive ‘Doctor Who’ Map of London Reveals All the Places the Time Lord Has Traveled

Plan a trip to London centered around your favorite ’Doctor Who’ episodes with this interactive map.

A semi-accurate rendering of a crocodile.

10 Historical First Impressions of Animals and Plants

From the “dark politicks” of cuttlefish to the “prodigious bigness” of snakes, here are 10 accounts of the first times explorers encountered new animals, foods, and more.

'Action Comics' #1 introduced Superman as well as his strong dislike for cars.

‘Action Comics’ #1 Sells for $6 Million, Setting a New All-Time Record for Comics

Superman's first appearance sells for $6 million, making it the most valuable comic ever.

This baby's middle name is probably Lee.

The 20 Most Popular Middle Names in the Decade You Were Born

Is your middle name Marie? You could've been born in 1900 or 2015.

What Do A.M. and P.M. Stand For?

The abbreviations are widely understood as “morning” and “afternoon,” but what do the Latin translations actually mean?

‘Dumpster fire’ is just one slang term to come out of the 2000s.

2000s Slang: 30 Amazeballs Terms You Should Know

In the 2000s, the internet took over, as did social media, streaming, and cell phones that were also cameras and tiny computers. The slang of this era didn’t disappoint, either: From amazeballs to mukbang and beyond, here are some terms you might not have

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