News

Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Perkins in a promotional shoot for ‘Big.’

From big-hearted comedies to freaky slashers, these are the movies that most effectively harnessed the possibilities of trading places.

You deserve a bowl full of non-spoiled ice cream.

No one wants to discover a freezer full of spoiled ice cream. Here’s how to tell if the creamy treat is still good—and how to make sure it’s safe to eat for as long as possible.

There better not be a dog or cat in that raft.

National park rules go beyond the general Leave No Trace guidelines. These surprising regulations cover everything from wildlife to waste.

Video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto cradles a Game Boy.

Despite its name, the Game Boy's mission was to lure adults into the world of video games.

This riddle dates back to 1921—can you figure out the answer?

Pretty on the outside, spooky on the inside.

The infamous home from the 1982 horror film ‘Poltergeist’ is available for your next spooky getaway.

Mount Rushmore draws millions of visitors every year. Here are some facts about the controversial monument.

We flipped the script on the Mental Floss contributor, ‘Jeopardy!’ host, and author of ‘The Complete Kennections,’ asking him to figure out what these folks all had in common.

This one‘s a juvenile female, according to the Marine Megafauna Foundation.

The newly identified Atlantic manta ray is officially a distinct species.

If the only thing Jeff Buckley ever did was record his 1994 cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” he would still have a permanent spot in music history.

A massive thunderstorm turns the sky dark over a field in Sweden.

Storms are used to set an ominous tone in spooky stories, even as they bring much-needed relief to parched fields or distressed humans on a hot day.

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

Digital blood pressure monitors allow people to check their systolic and diastolic numbers at home.

You can’t actually feel your blood pressure, but it’s one of the body’s most important indicators of cardiovascular health. Here’s the lowdown on how blood pressure works—and what it means for your overall wellness.

The world changed forever when the U.S. detonated two atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August 1945.

Eighty years after the first—and only—deployment of atomic bombs, here’s a look back at one of history’s most devastating acts of war.

We all need sunscreen, but no one needs a white cast.

Here‘s what to do if you‘re struggling with the dreaded white cast caused by sunscreen.

Tears are a treat for some butterfly species.

Blood, sweat, and tears (and a few other choice substances): It’s all on the menu.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and the cast of 'Hamilton' performing at the 2016 Tony Awards.

This fill-in-the-blank quiz tests how well you really know 'Hamilton' songs, from "My Shot" to "Burn" and beyond.

Double doors don’t always mean a house is a duplex.

You aren’t seeing double—some houses were intentionally built with this architectural quirk. We explain why.

Google search trends reveal what kinds of cars each state is dreaming about, and some might surprise you.

See if you can decipher this twisted tune.

It’s time to play Tune Twist, where we translate the lyrics of popular songs into multiple languages and then back into English. Can you figure out what the song is, or who performed it?