March 2012
48 posts
Screensavers of Yore
Here’s a roundup of some screensavers from the Good Old Days of computing — the 90s — when screensavers were delightfully corny, 3D graphics meant “the future,” and flying toasters invaded our dreams.
February 2012
38 posts
Jonah Hill's dad was the accountant for Guns N'...
He went on tour with the band.
Yoga on Trial
In the years before World War I, America faced a terrifying enemy on the home front: yoga.
The Ladies’ Privilege
A century ago, marriage proposals by women were a common occurrence—at least on February 29th.
10 Great Masters of Tilt-Shift Photography
They look like models but they’re not.
In a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll last month, 2% of...
Only 6% knew that it’s Willard.
A Decades-Old Quote From Last Night's Winner for...
“When you see who wins those things—or who doesn’t win them—you can see how meaningless this Oscar thing is.”
—Woody Allen
Movie Cameos by Authors of the Original Books
Some authors like to wink at those in the know by appearing in the movies based on their books. Keep your eyes peeled for these writer cameos.
[Read More: 14 Movie Cameos by Authors of the Original Books]
In 1979, Oscar host Johnny Carson joked, "I see a...
Years before she published The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins wrote for several Nickelodeon shows, including Clarissa Explains it All.
Lorax and Truax
In response to the 1971 Dr. Seuss book The Lorax, the forest products industry published Truax in 1995 to teach kids the importance of logging.
On this date in 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered...
Fifty years later, he posed for this great photo with a fan.
Who's the One on the Left?
Which Rescue Ranger is Chip? Which crotchety old Muppet is Waldorf? Let’s settle this once and for all: 22 Famous Pairs Explained
Gone Too Soon: Famous Funerals of Megastars Under...
Just 48 when she died, Whitney Houston will be laid to rest today, her “private” funeral webcast live to millions of mourners. Let’s take a look back at past funerals for stars who died too young, and the glorious chaos they left in their wake.
Thomas Edison's Eccentric Job Interview Questions
Could you get a job working for Thomas Edison? Here are some sample questions from his employment questionnaire.
In 1947, a California congressman proposed making...
Icelandic officials called the talk of statehood “improper” and “ridiculous.”
Reykjavik image via Shutterstock
In 1970, Ernie reached #16 on the Billboard Hot...
10 Ways the CIA Tried to Kill Castro
#10: Poisoned Milkshake
100-Year-Old Photos of People Delivering Mail
Vintage photos from the Library of Congress. Check out the last one to see what the Christmas rush looked like in the 1910s.
Until 1957, the BBC went dark from 6-7pm, so...
Read more about The Toddlers’ Truce.
Vince Neil said Mötley Crüe decided to add those...
”We had no idea that it was a pronunciation thing,” he told Vanity Fair.
The Amazing Listerine
From curing dandruff in rabbits to helping women nearing “tragic thirty” find husbands, here are some of the claims associated with Listerine over the years.
Quiz: Guns N' Roses Song or Life-Affirming Book at...
Are these titles songs from Guns N’ Roses albums or books featured by the checkout counter in CVS? Take the quiz.
Due to a shortage of raw materials like paper and...
5 Great Love Stories That Weren't Really All That...
Valentine’s Day annoys a lot of people. So here’s a reminder that some relationships that are considered the greatest love stories of all time were pretty messed up.
Tremendously Geeky Valentine's Day Cards
See More: 14 Geeky Valentine’s Day Cards
[Image via Etsy seller TheWallaroo]
11 Ill-Conceived TV Spinoffs That Almost Happened
For weeks people have been talking about a possible Dwight Schrute spinoff. No doubt the producers and agents involved are too blinded by dollar signs to take the time to examine the fates of previous spinoff shows based on “can’t miss” popular characters. We hereby submit 11 such shows that barely made it past the drawing board.
Words With a 'Q' That Don't Have a 'U'
If you’ve got a nagging ‘Q’ and no ‘U’ to go with it, perhaps one of these words will help.
Thank You Notes from Famous People
See More: 11 Amazing Thank You Notes Sent by Famous People
In 1980, Detroit presented Saddam Hussein with a...
Saddam had made donations to the city’s Chaldean Sacred Heart church.
Today is National Read in the Bath Tub Day
Bath reading image via Shutterstock
Watch the pruning.
Taylor Wilson at the White House
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
Last summer we ran a profile of Taylor Wilson in mental_floss magazine. Today the kid was at the White House!
He was at the White House Science Fair. According to WhiteHouse.gov:
Taylor Wilson, 17, of Reno, Nevada, conducted research on novel techniques for detecting nuclear threats and developed an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and...
When asked if he knew the speed of sound, Einstein...
Eli Manning's first name is Elisha.
We’re live-tweeting random Super Bowl facts tonight. A lot of them are about the ads. Most of them are nonsense. But good nonsense!
Follow @mental_floss
Tomorrow is Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
Ice cream waffle image via Shutterstock
Here are some other reasons to celebrate this month: 15 Bizarre February Holidays
New Uses for Old Churches
A Bookstore!
A Brewery!
A Lazer Tag Arena!
[See More: 11 New Uses for Abandoned Churches]
A Brief History of Zork
Here.
What Happens to the Losing Team's Pre-Printed...
The answer and more photos here.
