LONGFORM

Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica

Death at the South Pole: The Mystery of Antarctica's Unsolved Poisoning Case

In 2000, Rodney Marks died suddenly from methanol poisoning in a remote research station in Antarctica. Nearly 20 years later, the circumstances surrounding his death remain a mystery.

Your Friend 'Til the End: An Oral History of Child's Play

How Chucky from 'Child's Play' went from a satire of the Cabbage Patch Kids to a tiny titan of terror.

The Sea Waif: A Murder on the Ocean and the Little Girl Who Stayed Alive

When 11-year-old Terry Jo Duperrault was found in the middle of the ocean, she was hours from death. And she was the only member of her family left alive.

Corpses in the Pig Pen: The Tale of Indiana's Most Notorious Serial Killer

Belle Gunness had some skeletons in her closet.

The Dark Side: An Oral History of The Star Wars Holiday Special

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the biggest tragedy in 'Star Wars' since the destruction of Alderaan. We spoke to the people who witnessed it firsthand.

How Karelian Bear Dogs Are Keeping Wildlife Out of Harm's Way

This fearless breed is helping to reduce conflicts between people and predators.

Welcome to the Body Farm

Beyond the border of an ordinary parking lot lies the most cutting-edge graveyard in the world … and a hands-on lab for cops and forensic anthropologists.

The Most Dangerous Job: The Murder of America's First Bird Warden

His job was to protect the birds. But nobody was there to protect him.

The Enduring Mystery of the Ghent Altarpiece, the World's Most-Stolen Painting

Possible police cover-ups, enigmatic dying words, and the Holy Grail: Inside the quest to find the missing piece of Belgium's national treasure.

Dodo: © Oxford University, Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Background: iStock

Head Case: What the Only Soft Tissue Dodo Head in Existence Is Teaching Scientists About These Extinct Birds

The specimen might be our greatest opportunity to unlock the mysteries surrounding how the bird behaved, how it lived, how it evolved, and how it died.

How Scientists Are Using Plant-Based DNA Barcodes to Bust Counterfeiters

It sounds like science fiction, but it’s already happening.

The Secret Cold War History of the Missile That Launched America's First Satellite

Sixty years ago today, on January 31, 1958, the United States became a space-faring nation with Explorer-1.

One With the Junk: On the Scene at "The World's Longest Yard Sale"

Stretching from Michigan to Alabama, "The World's Longest Yard Sale" is 690 miles long. When we sent our reporter to western Ohio to drive 130 miles of it, he found more than he bargained for. 

The Book So Big It Needed Its Own Furniture

John James Audubon dreamed of creating life-sized portraits of every species of bird in North America. The portraits, when bound, became some of the biggest books ever made—and to read them, his customers would need to hire a carpenter.

Oral History: When Tickle Me Elmo Ruled the World

The hottest toy of 1996—which led to concussions, mass hysteria, and one designer becoming a Unabomber suspect—is making a comeback.

To Boldly Go: The Science Behind Pooping in Space

While few explorers like to discuss it, taking a space dump is its own kind of heroism.

The Story Behind John Cage's 4'33"

In a world plagued by Muzak, John Cage needed to find a quiet way to make a powerful statement.

The $383 Million Plan to Save California's Artificial Desert 'Sea'

The Salton Sea was created by accident, is heavily polluted, and can't survive on its own. Why bother to save this strange place?

Fright Fest: The Science Behind Why We Love to Be Scared

Take a deep dive into our darkest impulses to find out why humans love watching horror movies, enduring scream-worthy haunted houses, and otherwise getting scared out of our minds.

Inside the Matchmaking Service for Cheetahs

If you’ve seen a cheetah in an American zoo in the past 40 years, there’s a decent chance it spent time at Oregon’s Wildlife Safari.

This Soft Artificial Heart May One Day Shorten the Heart Transplant List

Its developers hope it sparks the next generation of total artificial hearts.

Brigido Lara, the Artist Whose Pre-Columbian Fakes Fooled Museums Around the World

Lara's skills as a master forger got him out of jail—but by then his frauds were all over the world.

Hot Meals and Cold Cases: Solving Crimes at the Detectives’ Lunch Club

Once a month, in an exclusive Philadelphia dining room, the greatest minds in criminal justice gather to crack the nation’s coldest cases.

How Eclipse Chasers Are Putting a Small Kentucky Town on the Map

The most anticipated eclipse in American history is coming this summer. At the heart of it is Hopkinsville, Kentucky, which anticipates 100,000 visitors. Mental Floss takes a look behind the small town's preparations—and a deep dive into the passionate su

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