Mental Floss
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Mississippians may not want to look.
Mapped: The States With the Highest and Lowest Adult Literacy Rates
A major survey is spelling out trouble for the country's literacy rates.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Mississippians may not want to look.
Steve McQueen was promoted to private first class in the Marine Corps, but was demoted multiple times due to insubordinate behavior.
https://bit.ly/3VqLaog
https://bit.ly/3VqLaog
35 Celebrities Who Served in the Military
You probably didn't know about a few of these celebrity veterans who served the red, white, and blue.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Steve McQueen was promoted to private first class in the Marine Corps, but was demoted multiple times due to insubordinate behavior.
https://bit.ly/3VqLaog
https://bit.ly/3VqLaog
A 15th-century queen might have something to do with it.
Why Is a V-Shaped Hairline Called a “Widow’s Peak”?
A 15th-century queen might have something to do with it.
bit.ly
November 19, 2025 at 7:12 PM
A 15th-century queen might have something to do with it.
Whales and dolphins aren’t just neighbors. They’re also occasional playmates.
Study Reveals Surprising Dynamic Between Whales and Dolphins
Whales and dolphins aren’t just neighbors. They’re also occasional playmates.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Whales and dolphins aren’t just neighbors. They’re also occasional playmates.
The moniker for your favorite type of rancid watering hole, explained.
https://bit.ly/4gupFwQ
https://bit.ly/4gupFwQ
Why Do We Call Sketchy Pubs “Dive Bars”?
The moniker for your favorite type of rancid watering hole, explained.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 19, 2025 at 6:27 PM
The moniker for your favorite type of rancid watering hole, explained.
https://bit.ly/4gupFwQ
https://bit.ly/4gupFwQ
Gaming is fun, but some consoles are power-hungry. Find out which ones could be driving up your electricity bill the most.
https://bit.ly/3W9ukL1
https://bit.ly/3W9ukL1
What It Costs to Power 7 Popular Game Consoles
New research reveals the gaming consoles that consume the most energy.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Gaming is fun, but some consoles are power-hungry. Find out which ones could be driving up your electricity bill the most.
https://bit.ly/3W9ukL1
https://bit.ly/3W9ukL1
From ‘açai’ to ‘tzatziki’ and beyond.
https://bit.ly/42ictFi
https://bit.ly/42ictFi
The 20 International Foods Most Commonly Mispronounced by Americans
From ‘açai’ to ‘tzatziki’ and beyond.
bit.ly
November 19, 2025 at 5:06 PM
From ‘açai’ to ‘tzatziki’ and beyond.
https://bit.ly/42ictFi
https://bit.ly/42ictFi
It’s your dog’s way of expressing affection—or getting you to throw up your last meal.
https://bit.ly/4mUCwuD
https://bit.ly/4mUCwuD
Why Does My Dog Lick Me?
Your dog’s motivations for licking you range from adorable to disgusting.
bit.ly
November 19, 2025 at 4:32 PM
It’s your dog’s way of expressing affection—or getting you to throw up your last meal.
https://bit.ly/4mUCwuD
https://bit.ly/4mUCwuD
Three French hikers stumbled upon the 36,000-year-old cave paintings and changed our understanding of art forever.
https://bit.ly/47m3hDi
https://bit.ly/47m3hDi
13 Facts About the Chauvet Cave Paintings
No one knows why they were painted—or what they mean.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Three French hikers stumbled upon the 36,000-year-old cave paintings and changed our understanding of art forever.
https://bit.ly/47m3hDi
https://bit.ly/47m3hDi
Not all pumpkins are created equal. Find out how to choose the right one.
https://bit.ly/4n6sir7
https://bit.ly/4n6sir7
Want to Pick the Perfect Pumpkin? Here’s What to Look For
Not all pumpkins are created equal
www.mentalfloss.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Not all pumpkins are created equal. Find out how to choose the right one.
https://bit.ly/4n6sir7
https://bit.ly/4n6sir7
You may already have a favorite, but do you really know what’s in each soft drink?
https://bit.ly/4mTEc7D
https://bit.ly/4mTEc7D
What’s the Difference Between Diet Soda and Zero-Sugar Soda?
You may already have a favorite, but do you really know what’s in each soft drink?
www.mentalfloss.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:24 PM
You may already have a favorite, but do you really know what’s in each soft drink?
https://bit.ly/4mTEc7D
https://bit.ly/4mTEc7D
In a world dominated by AI-generated, perfectly filtered images, there’s something to be said for the raw, unfiltered aesthetic of early digital cameras.
https://bit.ly/4fW7D6a
https://bit.ly/4fW7D6a
Your Old Digital Camera Could Be Worth a Lot, Thanks to Gen Z
Gen Z is bringing back digital cameras in a big way, which means your old Canon PowerShot could be worth a lot of dough.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:31 PM
In a world dominated by AI-generated, perfectly filtered images, there’s something to be said for the raw, unfiltered aesthetic of early digital cameras.
https://bit.ly/4fW7D6a
https://bit.ly/4fW7D6a
It would make a great reality show: Texans going ‘texas’ in Norway.
https://bit.ly/4gk4fSZ
https://bit.ly/4gk4fSZ
In Norway, ‘Texas’ Is Slang for ‘Crazy’
It would make a great reality show: Texans going ‘texas’ in Norway.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
It would make a great reality show: Texans going ‘texas’ in Norway.
https://bit.ly/4gk4fSZ
https://bit.ly/4gk4fSZ
Astronauts have left behind abandoned spacecraft as well as golf balls, fine art, and a message from Queen Elizabeth II.
7 Strange Things That Have Been Left On the Moon
Astronauts have left behind abandoned spacecraft as well as golf balls, fine art, and a message from Queen Elizabeth II.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Astronauts have left behind abandoned spacecraft as well as golf balls, fine art, and a message from Queen Elizabeth II.
If you ever dreamed of being Ben Stiller in “Night at the Museum”, we’ve got the next best thing.
9 Museums Where You Can Spend the Night
If you ever dreamed of being Ben Stiller in “Night at the Museum”, we’ve got the next best thing.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:22 PM
If you ever dreamed of being Ben Stiller in “Night at the Museum”, we’ve got the next best thing.
Cockroaches have a reputation for being indestructible. But they may not be as totally immune to radiation as people think.
https://bit.ly/3VawfOU
https://bit.ly/3VawfOU
Could Cockroaches Really Survive a Nuclear War?
Cockroaches have a reputation for being indestructible. But they may not be as totally immune to radiation as people think.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Cockroaches have a reputation for being indestructible. But they may not be as totally immune to radiation as people think.
https://bit.ly/3VawfOU
https://bit.ly/3VawfOU
Magnetic north is shifting towards Siberia, but that doesn't quite explain why maps put north at the top.
Why is North Always At the Top on a Map?
Magnetic north is shifting towards Siberia, but that doesn't quite explain why maps put north at the top.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Magnetic north is shifting towards Siberia, but that doesn't quite explain why maps put north at the top.
Feminism as we know it today didn’t exist in Austen’s time—but there is still a great deal of feminist inspiration to be taken from the author’s novels, life, and legacy.
4 Ways Jane Austen Was a Proto-Feminist Icon
There’s a great deal of feminist inspiration to be taken from the author’s novels, life, and legacy.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Feminism as we know it today didn’t exist in Austen’s time—but there is still a great deal of feminist inspiration to be taken from the author’s novels, life, and legacy.
Cats sometimes act like a bowl of water is something to approach with extreme caution. There’s a reason for it, though.
https://bit.ly/4mxN41t
https://bit.ly/4mxN41t
Why Do Cats Dip Their Paw in Water Bowls?
Cats sometimes act like a bowl of water is something to approach with extreme caution. There’s a reason for it, though.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Cats sometimes act like a bowl of water is something to approach with extreme caution. There’s a reason for it, though.
https://bit.ly/4mxN41t
https://bit.ly/4mxN41t
Toss some crumpled paper and maybe, if you're lucky, the cat will consider going to get it. Maybe. https://bit.ly/4meAggy
Yes, Cats Will Play Fetch, Too—But Only If They Feel Like It
Toss some crumpled paper and maybe, if you're lucky, the cat will consider going to get it. Maybe.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Toss some crumpled paper and maybe, if you're lucky, the cat will consider going to get it. Maybe. https://bit.ly/4meAggy
No, it’s not the pesticides.
https://bit.ly/4n5fe4X
https://bit.ly/4n5fe4X
November 15, 2025 at 11:50 PM
No, it’s not the pesticides.
https://bit.ly/4n5fe4X
https://bit.ly/4n5fe4X
Whether traveling for vacation or work, the last thing you want is to be bumped, or “denied boarding.”
Avoid This Airline If You Don't Want to Be Bumped From Your Flight
Traveling is stressful enough. Getting bumped from a flight makes matters worse.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Whether traveling for vacation or work, the last thing you want is to be bumped, or “denied boarding.”
It’s time to check your attic.
6 of the Most Valuable Dragon Ball Z Cards
If you collected Dragon Ball Z trading cards in the early 2000s, you could have a small fortune on your hands.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:26 PM
It’s time to check your attic.
The spots were ranked based on factors like total number of RV parks, amenities, and local livability.
https://bit.ly/3IBYwLI
https://bit.ly/3IBYwLI
America’s Top RV Destinations, Mapped
The spots were ranked based on factors like total number of campgrounds, amenities, and local livability.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:18 PM
The spots were ranked based on factors like total number of RV parks, amenities, and local livability.
https://bit.ly/3IBYwLI
https://bit.ly/3IBYwLI
‘Venomous’ versus ‘poisonous.’ ‘Hominin’ versus ‘hominid.’ Scientific terms can be confusing to non-specialists—so here's how to use them correctly.
https://bit.ly/466wdNi
https://bit.ly/466wdNi
13 Scientific Terms You’re Probably Misusing
‘Venomous’ versus ‘poisonous.’ ‘Hominin’ versus ‘hominid.’ Scientific terms can be confusing to non-specialists—so here's how to use them correctly.
www.mentalfloss.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:14 AM
‘Venomous’ versus ‘poisonous.’ ‘Hominin’ versus ‘hominid.’ Scientific terms can be confusing to non-specialists—so here's how to use them correctly.
https://bit.ly/466wdNi
https://bit.ly/466wdNi