WEIRD

Did Bubble Yum gum really contain spider eggs? Learn about the schoolyard urban legend that threatened the success of this popular chewing gum back in the 1970s.

When 16-inch-long tracks began popping up on northern California logging sites in 1958, workers dubbed the culprit ‘Big Foot’—but decades later, the whole thing was revealed to be a hoax.

Florida is known for its alligator sightings, weird crimes, and Disney World. But how much of what you think you know about the Sunshine State is true?

According to some strange old theories about the origins of birthmarks, a blemish on your behind meant you had the mark of the devil.

From what inspired Candyman and the Mothman to the tales about alligators in the sewers and killers calling from inside the house, we're breaking down the origins of popular urban legends.

Modern technology has helped these dolls find their voices—and when they speak, it’s downright creepy.

Sasquatch sightings have been reported in every state but Hawaii over the course of several centuries. In the process, a number of bizarre theories have been put forth to explain how the mysterious beasts came to be—and how they manage to evade us.

Not every great invention was created according to plan. From penicillin to breakfast cereal to popsicles, these everyday items were all invented entirely by accident.

Losing your nose ring in the shower is a bummer. It’s not an emergency.

From Celine Dion’s “erotic motorcycle” to the crafty female platypus who faked a pregnancy in order to bust out of the Bronx Zoo, 2023 was full of some pretty great stories.

Exolangs are constructed languages that imagine how the languages of extraterrestrial beings might look and sound—and linguists have come up with some pretty mind-bending options.

Once again, Mental Floss readers proved to be curious about all sorts of niche topics—and our editors and writers were happy to oblige their interests.