All five answers to the questions below have something in common. Can you figure it out?
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/ken-jennings-kennections-quiz-115?utm_source=RSS
Allied officials came up with some strange strategies to win World War II. Operation Fantasia planned to use glow-in-the-dark foxes to spook Japanese forces into defeat.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/world-war-ii-operation-fantasia-radioative-foxes?utm_source=RSS
The surgical extraction of the tonsils was a hallmark of a 1950s childhood, but now the operation is not nearly as common.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/tonsil-surgery-history?utm_source=RSS
From J-horror remakes to great white sharks on a quest for vengeance, discover the worst horror movies of all time, according to their scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/worst-horror-movies-rotten-tomatoes?utm_source=RSS
This weed slang originated in the 1960s and yep, you can thank Humphrey Bogart for it, but not for reasons you might expect.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/bogart-slang-origins?utm_source=RSS
A recent study claims that the pyramids of Giza were constructed alongside an almost 40-mile long artery of the Nile river that no longer exists today.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/giza-pyramids-lost-portion-nile-river?utm_source=RSS
‘The Jinx’ is back—and with it, a whole new round of speculation about what Robert Durst may or may not have done.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/the-jinx-robert-durst-documentary-tv-series?utm_source=RSS
The ruthless criminal is believed to have buried $100 million in bloody profits nearly 90 years ago. People have been looking for it ever since.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/dutch-schultz-treasure-mystery?utm_source=RSS
Here's some helpful information about where chipmunks and squirrels live, what they eat, what sounds they make, and how to tell them apart visually.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/chipmunk-vs-squirrel?utm_source=RSS
Here's everything you need to know about the difference between acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms.
White-tailed deer are the most common deer in the United States. Here are some fascinating deer facts deer.
Discover some of the most valuable board games from the ‘80s and ‘90s, including “HeroQuest,” “Dream Phone,” and others.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/most-valuable-board-games-80s-90s?utm_source=RSS
Uncover the best audiobooks narrated by celebrities, from beloved childhood classics like “Little Women” to hard-hitting contemporary tales like Celeste Ng’s 2022 book, “Our Missing Heart...
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/best-audiobooks-narrated-by-celebrities?utm_source=RSS
The Stonewall Book Award celebrates LGBTQ+ literature and includes standouts from authors like Alison Bechdel, Rivers Solomon, and Michael Cunningham.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/best-stonewall-book-award-winners?utm_source=RSS
Here are some of the most unforgettable books to earn the Women’s Prize for Fiction from celebrated authors like Zadie Smith, Téa Obreht, and others.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/best-womens-prize-fiction-books?utm_source=RSS
From Prince Harry's 'Spare' to 'Finding Me' by Viola Davis, the best celebrity memoirs to read this year will be tough to put down.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/best-celebrity-memoirs?utm_source=RSS
They may not all have a happy ending, but the passion their pages contain is enough to keep you captivated.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/literature-greatest-love-stories?utm_source=RSS
From Dracula to Beowulf’s Grendel, these classic literary monsters have all been reimagined in these gripping contemporary books.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/classic-literary-monsters-contemporary-updates?utm_source=RSS
These fascinating Afrofuturism novels from authors like Octavia Butler and Colson Whitehead are a great way to discover more about this genre.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/best-afrofuturism-books?utm_source=RSS
From Mom jeans to plaid everything, these fashion trends from the ’90s aren't just retro—they're making a big comeback.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/best-90s-fashion-trends?utm_source=RSS
Worried that your favorite beauty products have expired? According to experts, these are the signs to watch out for.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/how-to-tell-beauty-products-expired?utm_source=RSS
It's time to untangle the mystery of those bed sheet thread counts.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/what-does-thread-count-actually-mean?utm_source=RSS
Learn where you can stream 'The Power of the Dog' and dozens of other Academy Award-nominated movies before Oscar night.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/655523/where-to-stream-oscar-nominated-movies?utm_source=RSS
Add these essential non-fiction books, novels, essays, and poetry by leading Indigenous authors to your TBR pile.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/654376/essential-books-by-indigenous-authors?utm_source=RSS
The only thing worse than a candle wick that’s too short is one that’s too long. Here’s why—and how—to trim it.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/654395/why-you-should-always-trim-candle-wicks?utm_source=RSS
After you've binged every installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, diversify your comic book movie watchlist with these forgotten titles from the past.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/648093/forgotten-comic-book-movies-worth-watching?utm_source=RSS
From Secret Santa mishaps to Dwight dressing up as Belsnickel, these Christmas episodes from 'The Office' will make you wish you were in Scranton (or Slough) for the holidays.
Author Grady Hendrix shared six of his favorite atmospheric horror novels that any fan of the genre should pick up this Halloween season.
A brief food history of HP Sauce, one of the UK's oldest—and most beloved—brown sauces, plus tips for how to use it now.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/650500/hp-sauce-history?utm_source=RSS
This Japanese yogurt drink became a Twitter sensation after it appeared in a 2018 Netflix teen comedy—learn more about the history of Yakult here.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/649777/yakult-history?utm_source=RSS
Today’s best Western books don’t revolve around John Wayne wannabes and other Old West tropes. ‘Outlawed’ author Anna North recommends her favorites.
If you want to get into the classics but aren't quite ready to crack open a book that was written centuries ago, these comic book versions should be far more accessible.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/648813/graphic-novel-adaptions-classic-books?utm_source=RSS
From Alice Walker's 'The Color Purple' to Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods,' discover 11 modern classics we think deserve a spot on your bookshelf.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/649103/modern-classics-books?utm_source=RSS
‘Saturday Night Live’ alum and ‘An American Pickle’ screenwriter Simon Rich shares which books he considers comedic genius.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/648767/book-recommendations-simon-rich-author?utm_source=RSS
If you want to explore new countries and immerse yourself in different cultures without leaving your couch, pick up one of these books.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/648284/books-transport-you-around-world?utm_source=RSS
Discover 13 true crime books to add to your collection, including Truman Capote's classic 'In Cold Blood' and 'My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress.'
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/647173/true-crime-books?utm_source=RSS
Celebrate National Caribbean-American Heritage Month with a selection of must-read books from authors of all styles.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/647174/books-caribbean-authors-read?utm_source=RSS
If you want to further explore the breadth and depth of Asian cuisine and culture during AAPI Heritage Month, these 10 cookbooks from a range of authors aim to enlighten.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/646262/aapi-cookbooks?utm_source=RSS
Socks can develop holes, rips, and loose elastic almost from the moment you open the package. It doesn't have to be this way.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/646186/how-to-make-socks-last-longer?utm_source=RSS
If you enjoyed 'The Witcher' and 'Bridgerton' on the small screen, continue the stories by picking up the novels they're based on.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/645772/tv-shows-based-books?utm_source=RSS
Stan Lee’s habit of claiming credit for Jack Kirby’s Marvel Comics creations was on full display in one 1965 newspaper profile.
Netflix’s period hit ‘Bridgerton’ has taken the world by storm—but its reign is only just beginning.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/639840/bridgerton-netflix-tv-show-facts?utm_source=RSS
Unlike other stores, Costco only has one private label—but 'Kirkland Signature' wasn’t the founder's first choice.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/632736/how-costco-kirkland-signature-got-its-name?utm_source=RSS
Hungarian artist Gergely Dudás specializes in brain-teasing visual puzzles, and his Halloween offering is no exception.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/634013/can-you-spot-nose-less-jack-o-lantern?utm_source=RSS
There's no better time of year to crack open a new horror book, and if you're in need of recommendations, the Mental Floss staff has you covered.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/633036/mental-floss-favorite-horror-books?utm_source=RSS
Barcode scanners don’t need to register the number below the barcode, but it can tell you a lot about a product.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/629589/what-upc-barcode-numbers-mean?utm_source=RSS
There's an excellent reason why pharmacy locations like CVS and Walgreens make you walk all the way through the store before picking up your antibiotics.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/618482/reason-pharmacies-are-in-back-of-stores?utm_source=RSS
Bonnie Tyler was singing about lovestruck vampires long before Twilight’s Bella and Edward came along.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/627898/12-unlikely-origins-popular-songs?utm_source=RSS
When the first Costco location opened in Seattle in 1983, a membership only cost $20 for the whole year.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/625868/see-what-first-costco-looked-like-in-1983?utm_source=RSS
If you need to pick up some last-minute grilling supplies on July 4th, these major grocery and retail stores will be open.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/626140/which-stores-are-open-july-4th?utm_source=RSS
Leaving a cart abandoned in a parking lot is a social nuisance. What drives people to practice poor supermarket etiquette?
The giant red spheres, a.k.a. bollards, outside Target's stores do help reinforce the brand's red bullseye logo, but they’re mainly there to keep shoppers safe.
From coming-of-age dramedies to moody psychological thrillers, here are some of our favorite TV shows streaming on Netflix right now.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/624309/best-tv-shows-on-netflix-right-now?utm_source=RSS
Now’s the perfect time to branch out from soups and stews to fresh bread, homemade wine, and DIY lip balm.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/623602/surprising-instant-pot-recipes?utm_source=RSS
Grocery shopping is still a necessary errand for many—here’s our best advice for how to get it done safely.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/622557/tips-avoiding-germs-grocery-stores?utm_source=RSS
From picture books to chapter books, we went and asked the staffs what their favorite reads as children were.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/621137/favorite-childrens-books?utm_source=RSS
Mail-order mattress companies make solemn oaths that consumers can return purchases. The problem is that the companies can't accept them. So what happens next?
Mini shopping carts keep kids busy on shopping trips, but that’s not the only reason grocery stores have them.
IKEA, the beloved Swedish home furnishings chain, has a coherent naming strategy that its non-swedophone customers are missing out on.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/616419/how-ikea-names-its-products?utm_source=RSS
It’s a clever trick that retailers use to make consumers think items cost less than they actually do.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/610506/reason-so-many-prices-end-99?utm_source=RSS
Before his death in 1990, Jim Henson gave very clear instructions about what his memorial service should look like: no attendees should wear black and a jazz band should be in attendance.
Do you grab the first parking spot you see, or drive as close to the mall as you can and hover until someone else leaves? Science may have found an answer.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/604900/best-place-to-park-at-mall?utm_source=RSS
Here are Twitter’s best packing tips and tricks to help you save space, money, time, and your sanity on moving day.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/607759/ingenious-moving-tips?utm_source=RSS
How do they spend those massive profits? The online retailing giant has a giant Ice Age cave bear skeleton in their Seattle offices.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/64546/14-one-click-facts-about-amazon?utm_source=RSS
From Mao to Harry Potter to Betty Crocker, these are 10 candidates for some of the best-selling books in history.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/587211/best-selling-books-history?utm_source=RSS
For AAPI Heritage Month, check out these incredible books by Celeste Ng, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Helen Hoang, and others.
Whether or not you're ready to commit to adding a new member to your family, there are plenty of ways to support shelters on National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/581684/ways-to-support-local-animal-shelters?utm_source=RSS
Hans Christian Andersen once stayed with Charles Dickens. By the end of the five-week visit, Dickens was so exasperated with Andersen he ended the friendship.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/579239/hans-christian-andersen-facts?utm_source=RSS
A quick shopper's guide for telling the difference between queen and full mattresses, two of the most popular bed sizes.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/573876/full-vs-queen-mattress-what-is-difference?utm_source=RSS
You're getting ripped off, big time.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/572142/reason-glasses-are-so-expensive?utm_source=RSS
Target employees go out of their way to make sure customers leave happy, but they really hope you're not a "Karen" or a hardcore Funko collector.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/571038/target-employee-secrets?utm_source=RSS
Yes, the $1 home pregnancy test kit is accurate. It's also a popular target for shoplifters at Dollar Tree.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/565542/dollar-store-employees-secrets?utm_source=RSS
2. The shopping center has its own zip code.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/23378/mall-of-america-facts?utm_source=RSS
It’s the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, but where did this tradition start? And just how big is it?
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/31581/brief-history-black-friday?utm_source=RSS
To get a better idea of what goes on between those stacks of infamously fake towels at Bed Bath & Beyond, Mental Floss reached out to three former employees.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/564299/bed-bath-and-beyond-employee-secrets?utm_source=RSS
There's a science to making your money disappear.
If shoppers have one complaint about Costco, it’s that the employees posted at the exits to take a marker to customers' receipts seem vaguely insulting.
Your kid might be too short to get that free cookie.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/554501/secrets-food-sample-demonstrators?utm_source=RSS
Furby was a toy sensation for ’90s kids, but these chatty, distinctive-looking fluffballs are still captivating youngsters to this day.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/521401/10-demand-facts-about-furby?utm_source=RSS
They wish you would stop using them as your doctor.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/518367/9-secrets-whole-foods-employees?utm_source=RSS
When U.S. Army Corps bombardier Max Spencer Adler was shot down over Europe and imprisoned by the Nazis during World War II, it’s not likely he dreamed of one day becoming the czar of penis-sha...
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/504249/history-spencer-gifts?utm_source=RSS
One key to being a good writer is to always keep reading—and that doesn't change after you've been published.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/64532/21-famous-authors-and-their-favorite-books?utm_source=RSS
From Bumpass to Bugtussle, America's small towns have a flair for humor.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/502251/funniest-town-name-all-50-states?utm_source=RSS
Just as juicy as summer’s many berries, stone fruits, and melons are the far-flung, surprising, and often obscure origins of their names.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/82936/delicious-origins-18-summer-fruit-names?utm_source=RSS
Want to erase the guilt you feel when you buy something and then discard it after only a few months of use? The website Buy Me Once is here to help.
Researchers reduced people's implicit racial and gender biases by having them undergo anti-bias training—and then take a nap.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/64556/want-be-less-biased-take-nap?utm_source=RSS
Although the screen time for many of the following bipedal, humanoid creatures was often quite limited, children and collectors alike have always shared an affinity for these curious aliens.
“Meteorologically, D-Day was bound to be a gamble against the odds.”
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57140/meteorologists-who-helped-plan-d-day?utm_source=RSS
Some experts believe the Kármán Line is the deciding factor, but others aren't in agreement about where the frontier of space really begins.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/57020/where-does-space-begin?utm_source=RSS
Ever wonder what a Canuck is? How about a Blue Jacket? Here's a breakdown of how all of the National Hockey League teams got their names.