Mental Floss

SCIENCE

iStock

Watch a Tree Release a Massive "Pollen Bomb" Into the Air

Our eyes are itching just looking at it.

One known species of isopod, or "giant sea cockroach"

Bizarre New Species of Crabs and a Giant Sea Cockroach Discovered in Waters Off Indonesia

Researchers thought the foot-long sea cockroach was "cute."

iStock

Climate Change Is Making It Hard for Bears to Hibernate Through the Winter

More black bears are waking up earlier—or not hibernating at all.

A volcano erupts on the Pacific island of Vanuatu, part of Earth's Ring of Fire.

16 Explosive Facts About Volcanoes

Whether they're minor eruptions or cataclysmic explosions like Vesuvius, Tambora, and Krakatau, volcanoes have had a major impact on the world's climate and history.

iStock

People Are More Likely to BS When There Are No Consequences

The good news: BS isn't inevitable.

iStock

6 Things You Might Not Know About Ebola

2. It hijacks the immune system.

NOAA Photo Library, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

7 Impressive Animal Defense Mechanisms

From shooting blood from their eyes to using their own ribs as spears, these animals will do whatever it takes to stay alive.

iStock

What Is a Calorie?

Let's break it down.

A mural of Salvador Dali and Vincent Van Gogh at the International Fair of Contemporary Art in Madrid in 2006

The Surprising Link Between Creativity and Schizophrenia

The "tortured artist" may not be a baseless stereotype.

iStock

Now You Can Train to Be an Astronaut on Your Smartphone

Oh, and if you're good enough, Space Nation will send you to space.

iStock

Watch a "Trained" Spider Named Kim Leap Six Times Its Body Length

Kim was the only regal jumping spider willing to participate in the researchers' study.

Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Doctor Weighs In on What May Have Killed Saladin, the 12th-Century Muslim Military Leader

It wasn't battle that did him in.

Ben Curtis, AFP/Getty Images

King Tut's Tomb Doesn't Contain Hidden Rooms After All

It was once believed that his stepmother Queen Nefertiti may be hidden away at the same site.

iStock

New Contact Lenses Could Let You Shoot Lasers From Your Eyes

One step closer to having Superman's powers.

iStock

Big Problem in the Big Easy: Invasive Cuban Treefrogs Move into Louisiana

Cuban treefrogs are a major pest in south and central Florida. Now they're in New Orleans, too.

iStock

How 'Unconscious Bias' Can Trick Your Brain Into Trusting People (Even if You Shouldn't)

Watch out for confident people—they can fool you.

iStock

Alan Turing's Last Published Paper From 1952 Inspired the Invention of a New Water Filter

The purifier, which makes saltwater drinkable, is said to work three times as fast as current filters on the market.

From left: Wally Schirra, Deke Slayton, Gus Grissom, Christopher Craft of the Mercury Operations Division, Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpenter, John Glenn, and Alan Shepard.

Were You Meant to Be an Astronaut? Try Passing NASA's Project Mercury Intelligence Test

Would you have been qualified to be an astronaut back in 1958?

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

7 Giant Machines That Changed the World—And 1 That Might

From a 17-mile-long particle accelerator to a football field–sized space observatory, these machines are marvels.

iStock

The Surprising Role Bats Play in Making Your Margarita

The winged mammals play a vital—albeit little-appreciated—role in agave production.

iStock

Scientists Share the Most Ridiculous Stock Photos of Their Jobs on Twitter

Some are inaccurate, and some are just weird.

iStock

New Contest Will Give Kids the Chance to Become Weather Channel Meteorologists for a Day

The weather report is about to get a whole lot cuter.

iStock

Scientists Figure Out Why Roses Don't Smell as Good as They Used To

Thanks to new research, we can look forward to sweeter-smelling roses in the future.

Chloe Effron

Why Can Parrots Talk?

Parrots can learn how to say hundreds of words—and even know what some of them mean.