Mental Floss

POP CULTURE

The Hanson brothers photographed in 1997, when "MMMBop" was topping the charts.

In 1997, the first Harry Potter book was published in the U.K., 'Titanic' arrived in theaters, and you probably had Hanson's "MMMBop" stuck in your head—whether you liked it or not.

Todd Gilchrist
Matayang (pool), Bun_Visit (arm)/iStock via Getty Images Plus

From Universal Orlando's wild (and usually inoperable) 'Jaws' ride of the '90s to the very real—and very captive—tiger shark that threw up a human arm and sparked a 1935 murder investigation, the Mental Floss team is sharing some of our favorite stories f

Editorial Staff
















Run-DMC pictured in 1987.

It took a little convincing, but in 1987—fresh off their smash hit album 'Raising Hell'—Run-DMC agreed to record a holiday song for the star-studded charity album 'A Very Special Christmas.' And a Christmas classic was born.

Kenneth Partridge






George Clooney and Brad Pitt star in Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven (2001).

In 2001, newly minted Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh gathered up some of the biggest names in Hollywood and pulled off a heist movie for the ages.

Jon O'Brien