Mental Floss

BIG QUESTIONS

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Bill Parcells was one of the first coaches to be doused with celebratory Gatorade after a win. But who came up with the idea? Here are the answers to some burning questions about this fairly new tradition.

Ethan Trex
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This is sort of a trick question, as they technically didn’t wear “helmets,” but leather “flight caps” that covered the head and ears. These kept the pilots from getting too cold or going deaf while flying with their cockpit canopies open, which they some

Matt Soniak
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The two-minute warning comes up at the end of each half in every NFL football game. Most fans take it for granted, but why does the NFL stop the clock with two minutes or so left in each half? Is it just so the NFL can sneak an extra commercial break in

Ethan Trex


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Beginning with the earliest American settlements and continuing into the 18th century, most barns weren't painted at all. So when did they become red?

Matt Soniak




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Ever wonder what all those strange credits are when they roll by at the end of a film? From Gaffer to Boom Operator, here's some production roles to know

David K. Israel


Readers of a certain age might remember Hypercolor or Hypergrafix clothing, the color-changing T-shirts produced by Generra that were all the rage in the early '90s. Now that the '90s are back, it's a good time to finally figure out the science behind the

Matt Soniak
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Grab a partner and look into his or her eye "“ or stare deeply into it, if appropriate "“ in a normally lit room. The quick and dirty version of how you're able to view each other is this: Light enters the eye through the cornea, the clear outer dome, and

Matt Soniak