Mental Floss

THIS JUST IN

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And the Most Miserable State in America Is …

Where does your state lie?

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The Tiny Government Office That Will Replace Your Ripped, Burned, and Chewed-Up Cash

You may not be able to spend it, but that ripped bill isn't worthless.

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Iceland Named Safest Country in the World for the 11th Year in a Row

The U.S. doesn’t even crack the top 100.

Doc_Brown, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Cropped.

The Honey Smacks In Your Pantry May Be Contaminated With Salmonella

The CDC issued a new warning on Thursday: "Do not eat this cereal."

Mohd Rasfan, AFP/Getty Images

Australian University Evacuated After Rotten Durian Smell Mistaken for Gas Leak

The world's smelliest fruit is banned from public spaces for a reason.

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There's an Easy Way to Rid Your Mailbox of Catalogs and Other Junk

You don't need to call up every company you get junk mail from and ask to be taken off their mailing list.

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Yes, Parents Do Play Favorites—And Often Love Their Youngest Kid Best

Sorry, older sibs.

Nancy Rothhammer Dietrich

Thanks to Winter Storms, a New Jersey Beach’s Famous ‘Ghost Tracks’ Have Reappeared

Strong storms and shifting sands brought a rare chance to see the deteriorating railroad.

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Divers Uncover Undetonated WWII Bomb From the Bottom of Australia's Sydney Harbor

The discovery made a routine diving excursion a little more exciting.

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What Pet Owners Need to Know About the Latest Dog Food Recall

Small amounts of pentobarbital were detected in Kibbles 'N Bits and Gravy Train products.

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How Much Does a Missing Comma Cost? For One Dairy in Maine, $5 Million

A lawsuit that hinged on the lack of a serial comma in a state law has been settled. For the anti-comma crowd, it wasn't cheap.

Dan Kitwood, Getty Images

Flights Grounded After World War II Bomb Discovered Near London City Airport

Police are working on removing it from the Thames.

David McNew, Newsmakers/Getty Images

The World's Most Congested City Is Right Here in America

Los Angeles, you have 102 reasons to complain about sitting in traffic.

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World’s Oldest Man Francisco Núñez Olivera Dies at 113

Relatives credit his longevity to a vegetable-based diet and daily glasses of red wine.

J. Howard Miller, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Rosie the Riveter Inspiration Naomi Parker Fraley Dies at 96

Only recently did she learn that she was the inspiration for the World War II icon.

VINCENZO PINTO, AFP, Getty Images

The Pope Just Officiated an Impromptu Inflight Wedding

His Holiness made history when he married Paula Podest and Carlos Ciuffardi on the papal plane.

Courtesy of Gem Diamonds Ltd.

Fifth Largest Diamond in The World Discovered in Southern Africa

It weights more than a billiard ball.

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New Largest Known Prime Number Has More Than 23 Million Digits

It's called M77232917 for short.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Meet Betty Reid Soskin, the Country's Oldest Park Ranger

You're never too old to enjoy the outdoors, change careers, or speak out against injustice.

TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP/Getty Images

What Do You Get the Person Who Has Everything? Perhaps a German Village for Less Than $150,000

The tiny hamlet of Alwine has around one dozen buildings and 20 full-time residents.

Guillaume Souvant, Getty Images

For $61, You Can Become a Co-Owner of This 13th-Century French Castle

A ruined castle will be restored thanks to the powers of the internet.

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Spelunkers Discover New Caverns in Montréal's Ancient Cave Network

The cave system below the Saint-Léonard borough is believed to sit atop an aquifer and may lead to the Montréal water table.

Keystone Features / Stringer / Getty Images

Police Recover Nearly 100 Artifacts Stolen From John Lennon’s Estate

Among them is a diary entry written hours before Lennon's death.

Peter P // Flickr // CC BY-NC 2.0

This Gorgeous Town in the Swiss Alps Wants to Pay You $25,000 to Move There

If you’re married with kids, make that $70,000.