Books | Books

The Mental Floss Summer Reading List: 27 Books to Read in Summer 2019

Nothing completes a lazy summer day in the sun or week spent on the beach quite like a great book—and whether you’re into true crime, classics, or history, we’ve got recommendations for every kind of bibliophile.

Books | Books

The 20 Best New Fiction Books You Need to Add to Your Summer Reading List

We found the best fiction books of 2019, ranging from historical fiction to romance, fantasy, and even creepy thrillers and mystery. No matter what fiction books you like best, there's a hot new read for every taste on this list.

Books | Books

Watch: Rare Trio of Bald Eagles Raise Eaglets Together on the Mississippi River - Geek.com

They say it takes a village to raise a child — but in a nest along the Mississippi River, three bald eagles have decided that it takes a trio to raise newly hatched …

Books | Books

Two Sisters Bought DNA Kits. The Results Blew Apart Their Family. - WSJ

In an age of ubiquitous direct-to-consumer genetic testing, family secrets are almost impossible to keep. The Hurwitzes had no idea how much their lives would change when their test results revealed their parents’ hidden past.

Books | Books

This Test Will Tell You How Many Books You Can Read in a Year

See how realistic your 2019 reading goal is.

Visual Arts | Art

10 Times People Accidentally Found Their Doppelgängers In Museums And Couldn’t Believe Their Eyes | Bored Panda

Do you find classic art a bit hard to relate to? So do we, but that could easily change with a find like the one these guys stumbled upon when they uncovered

Visual Arts | Art

How graffiti became a global art movement | Dazed

The underground networks of young people that sparked a worldwide phenomenon by writing their names and street numbers all over New York and Philadelphia

Visual Arts | Art

Why Big Auction Houses Want In On The Growing Outsider Art Craze

"I want this to be a part of the art world that people just can’t ignore."

Visual Arts | Art

Scientists have uncovered exactly what makes a photo memorable - The Washington Post

How can any photographer take an image that will never be forgotten? For starters, quit taking nature photos, whether it’s a sunset, mountain range, lake or ocean. Those images are among the least distinctive, according to an MIT algorithm trained to recognize memorable photographs nearly as well as humans.

Visual Arts | Art

16 Photos You'd Never Believe Were Taken In New York City

Don't be mistaken — this concrete jungle has some real jungle too. Check out what two BuzzFeeders were able to find with just two days, five boroughs, and one Canon Powershot camera.

Travel | Travel

How Your Brain Morphs Stressful Family Vacations Into Pleasant Memories - The New York Times

There may be a lot of bickering, but your memory creates a nostalgia-inducing highlight reel that makes you want to plan the next trip.

Travel | Travel

The Art-Lover's Guide To Traveling The World

Where to head if you're after high art, architecture, food and museums

Travel | Travel

The 20 Best-selling Travel Products on Amazon | Time

Traveler-approved gear to add to your cart.

Travel | Travel

26 Things Airline Workers Wish They Could Tell Passengers | Time.com

Whether it's to keep their jobs or to maintain the peace, there are some things that airline workers just can't tell travelers.

Travel | Travel

$69 Will Buy You a Flight to Europe Right Now, Even from the West Coast

Iceland-based WOW Air is ratcheting up the European flight price war, with airfare to Paris, London, Berlin, Brussels, Dublin from only $69.

Family & Parenting | School Activities

Revealing Photo Series Documents School Lunches Around the World - My Modern Met

Around 32 million children in the US eat cafeteria food every weekday, and most of these students consume over half their daily calories at school. With this…

Family & Parenting | School Activities

Mommy's Kitchen: Back To School Lunch Box Ideas from Walmart

Miscellaneous | Fun Stuff

Curious Kids: If an insect is flying in a car while it is moving, does the insect have to move at the same speed?

If the insect wants to stay right in front of your nose, it must fly forwards just a little bit when the car is speeding up. But when the car is at constant speed, it only needs to hover.

Miscellaneous | Fun Stuff

‘You can never have too many mimosas’: How brunch became the day-wrecking meal that America loves to hate

Sunday morning now looks a lot like Saturday night, especially in the nation’s capital of brunch.

Miscellaneous | Fun Stuff

How to Party Like Twin Peaks on New Year's Eve

Local rockers Twin Peaks gave us party tips, hangover cures and walked us through some of their wildest New Year's Eve experiences.

Miscellaneous | Fun Stuff

Philip Norman: Confessions of a rock’n’roll biographer | British GQ

Philip Norman has wrestled with icons, egos and artists (not to mention their widows) to reveal the untold tales of Britain's musical takeover.

Miscellaneous | Fun Stuff

How Superman Helped Foil the KKK | Mental Floss

Test your knowledge with amazing and interesting facts, trivia, quizzes, and brain teaser games on MentalFloss.com.

History | History

5 Things You Didn't Know About Jacques Cousteau

How well do you know the man beneath the wetsuit?

History | History

17 Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes You Never Hear

While best known for his “I Have a Dream” speech, King’s legacy included much more than that.

History | History

The Declaration of Independence: Six lesser-known facts - CNN.com

This Fourth of July will mark the 239th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Here are some lesser-known facts about the document.

Happy July 4!

History | History

'Aftermath' Dares to Unearth Terrible Secrets of Poland's Lost Jews

On July 10, 1941, half the residents of Jedwabne, a Polish village 85 miles northeast of Warsaw, murdered the other half. The mob, led by the mayor, were Catholics; their 1,600 victims were Jewish, slaughtered over several nightmarish hours with bats, kni

History | History

Check out this brilliant virtual version of 17th Century London

University students have created an impressive 3D representation of 17th Century London set before The Great Fire in 1666.The video, below, is the work of D…

Advice & Self-Help | Helpful Advice

The Simple but Effective Way to Stop Worrying So Much (It Sounds Ridiculous, But It Actually Works)

Science shows you can contain your worries to 30 minutes each day.

Advice & Self-Help | Helpful Advice

Want to Be Funnier the Next Time You Give a Talk? A Comedian Shares the Tricks of the Trade | Inc.com

How to get your audience more engaged by making them laugh.

Advice & Self-Help | Helpful Advice

A Pro Reveals the Secret to Organizing a Tiny Kitchen

Trying to organize serving ware and cooking supplies in a normal-size kitchen is challenging, but trying to do it in a tiny kitchen can seem downright

Advice & Self-Help | Helpful Advice

What not to eat: 5 foods nutritionists avoid

Everything in moderation is good in theory, but not when it comes to these five foods.

Advice & Self-Help | Helpful Advice

How To Overcome Self-Sabotage

When I was in high school, I loved being on stage. I mostly performed in musicals. While I loved the spotlight there was always a part of me that was jud...

Pets & Animals | I Love Dogs

Why Do Dogs Look So Sad? - The Atlantic

Two specialized muscles give them a range of expression that wolves eyes’ lack.

Pets & Animals | I Love Dogs

The 10 Most Dog-Friendly Workplaces in America

Dog owners are starting to get ecstatic with bring your dog to work day coming up on June 21. Having a pet at work can seem like another job to handle, but it is actually the quite opposite.

Pets & Animals | I Love Dogs

How Dogs Find Their Way Home - The New York Times

Lost dogs rely on a fine sense of smell to map their location.

Pets & Animals | I Love Dogs

Inseparable Dog and Cat Best Friends Surrendered in the Same Carrier Now Have New Home Together

Shelter workers said Kitty the cat would yell anytime she was separated from Leila the dog

I love dogs, but I am happy that this little guy had his cat friend with him!

Pets & Animals | I Love Dogs

Blind Senior Dog Finds A Puppy Friend To Show Him The Way

Charlie's spirit has blossomed with his new best friend by his side.

Food & Drink | Food & Drink

I Finally Know Why I Suck At Making Scrambled Eggs

If your scrambled eggs are the worst, fear not. I have a foolproof method for you.

Food & Drink | Food & Drink

The Best Chocolate Shop in All 50 States!

When you need a particularly decadent treat, head to one of these chocolate shops (or their websites) to satisfy that sweet tooth. No holiday necessary.

Food & Drink | Food & Drink

How to Make Homemade Cold Brew and Save Yourself a Whole Bunch of $$$

If you thought you couldn't make cold brew coffee at home, think again.

Food & Drink | Food & Drink

The secret to making perfect grilled corn every time

How to cook corn on the cob perfectly — the easy way.

Food & Drink | Food & Drink

What's Really Inside a Hot Dog?

We don't recommend reading this before your next cook-out.

Yuck.

Advice & Self-Help | Relationships

Millennial—And Macho? Why Young Men Want Old-School Marriages - Vogue

New studies find that young men are prizing "old-school" relationships.

I don't agree that more government is the solution. This is still interesting. I don't think that most people would expect this to be how young people are thinking.

Advice & Self-Help | Relationships

Most People's Friendships Fall Into One of Three Categories

Are you a tight-knitter, a compartmentalizer, or a sampler?

Advice & Self-Help | Relationships

How to Get People to Like You (Heck, Even Love You)

We all care about what others think of us and want to be liked (despite what rebellious 15-year-old you might have said). The basics of getting people ...

Advice & Self-Help | Relationships

How ‘Textual Chemistry’ Is Changing Dating | TIME

The complex emotional interactions between two people over text message can make or break a relationship

Advice & Self-Help | Relationships

Tinder and the Dawn of the “Dating Apocalypse” | Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair's Nancy Jo Sales looks at what happens when romance is swiped from the screen.

News | Good News

Artist Tired of Reading Bad News Illustrates the Good Things That Happened in 2018

“It’s necessary to let the world know that, despite having much more to do, we’ve accomplished some amazing things in 2018.”

News | Good News

This sweet Disneyland promposal sets the bar sky high

A teen asks his girlfriend to prom at Disneyland with help from some characters.

News | Good News

For The First Time In A Century, Wild Tiger Numbers Are On The Rise

For wild tigers, the numbers have not been kind. In 1900, an estimated 100,000 tigers roamed free on our planet. Yet within a hundred years, that number plummeted by more than 95 percent — the result of rampant poaching and widespread habitat loss.

News | Good News

Doctors Told a Woman to Take Her Husband Off of Life Support, But She Refused—and Then He Woke Up

What would you do if your partner got into an accident that put him or her into a coma—and doctors told you they'd pull the plug if they were in your shoes? Medical problems test any couple, but Danielle Josey Davis, whose husband, Matthew, got into a motorcycle accident in 2011—just seven months after they had tied the knot—refused to lose hope.

News | Good News

Cruise ship nurses use a makeshift incubator to save one-and-a-half pound baby born three MONTHS premature

Utah mom Emily Morgan said doctors didn't expect her son Haiden to live, but thanks to a makeshift incubator onboard the Royal Caribbean and an early arrival in Puerto Rico, he did.

This is truly amazing! I hope he's ok!

Health & Fitness | Health News & Tips

Exactly How Unhealthy Pumpkin Spice Lattes Really Are | MyDomaine

Find out just how healthy your seasonal pumpkin spice latte really is. Read on for all the nutritional information you need to know before indulging.

"To put it into perspective, the American Heart Association recommends that women have no more than 25 grams of sugar per day and that men have no more than 36 grams. That means that one PSL could account for around double your daily recommended amount of sugar."

Health & Fitness | Health News & Tips

The Best Skin Care Deals Happening on Amazon Prime Day 2018

No swatching required.

Health & Fitness | Health News & Tips

The One Anti-Inflammatory Ingredient You Should Add To Your Eggs To Speed Up Weight Loss

Boost weight loss by pair eggs with another anti-inflammatory food at SheFinds.com

Health & Fitness | Health News & Tips

Experiences in Childhood Can Alter Your DNA For The Rest of Your Life

Childhood is a defining period in anybody's life, but for many of us it seems those early life experiences could change the body right down to a genetic level.

Health & Fitness | Health News & Tips

8 Clever Ways to Prevent Overeating

Overeating is all too common. But with a few simple tips and tweaks to your mealtime habits, you can gain control and avoid it for good.

Music | Music

Revisiting ‘Michael Jackson’s This Is It’ Leaves Only Questions, No Answers

In the end, you’re left wondering what might have been. The same could be said of Jackson’s entire life.

Music | Music

How Rap Became the Sound of the Mainstream

It marks a new era in music

Music | Music

John Lennon Was a Crazy Cat Lady

John Lennon had almost as many cats as the Beatles had No. 1 hits.

Music | Music

Bob Dylan Finally Gave His Required Nobel Prize Lecture. Here It Is. | HuffPost

“I hope what I say will be worthwhile and purposeful,” Dylan started his lecture.

Music | Music

Stunning Photos Show Chicago's Lollapalooza Festival Through The Years

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the iconic music festival.

Pets & Animals | Other Kinds Of Animals

Homeless Kitten Decides He Wants To Be A Surfer - The Dodo

. He has fans all over

Pets & Animals | Other Kinds Of Animals

Motion-Activated Camera Captures First Known Photo of Albino Giant Panda | Mental Floss

The albino panda bear was wandering a bamboo forest in China when it triggered a motion-sensitive camera set up by scientists.

Pets & Animals | Other Kinds Of Animals

Grumpy Cat, the internet's most famous cat, dead at 7 - CNN

Grumpy Cat, arguably the internet's most popular cat and one of its first viral memes, has died aged 7.

Poor grumpy cat.

Pets & Animals | Other Kinds Of Animals

Coyote Facts

The coyote is a medium-sized wild canine native to North America. These coyote facts include the animal's diet, behavior, and reproduction.

Pets & Animals | Other Kinds Of Animals

The rewilding movement is going from strength to strength - Conservation

TAPIRS ARE South America’s largest land mammals. They are one of six species Ignacio Jiménez and his team are trying to re-introduce to the Iberá project, a 7,500km{ 2} wetland reserve in north Argentina, run by Tompkins Conservation, an American char

Good news!

Family & Parenting | Family & Parenting

This Mom's Facebook Post About Expectations For Working Mothers Resonated With Many

It’s not news that motherhood is hard. From before you have the first ultrasound until after your children graduate college, parenting doesn’t stop. But one mom’s Facebook post about expectations for working mothers shows that 3 a.m. diaper changes…

Family & Parenting | Family & Parenting

What the First Year of Life Looks Like Through the Eyes of a Baby | Mental Floss

Test your knowledge with amazing and interesting facts, trivia, quizzes, and brain teaser games on MentalFloss.com.

News | News

Queen Had the Best Reaction to Prince Charles Calling Her 'Mummy'

Was it an eye roll? No one can be quite sure

News | News

Variety reporter: NBC knew about Lauer - CNN Video

Variety reporter Ramin Setoodeh tells CNN's Alisyn Camerota employees at NBC knew about Matt Lauer's alleged sexual misconduct despite publicly denying having any knowledge.

Psychology | Psychology

A New Report Says Stanford's Most Famous Psychology Experiment Is a 'Fraud,' a 'Sham,' and a 'Lie' | Inc.com

You were almost certainly taught this 50-year-old experiment's findings. But what really happened?

Psychology | Psychology

Blind People Envision the Future Differently Than Sighted People

The way we conceptualize time is influenced by our vision.

Psychology | Psychology

The Real Causes Of Depression Have Been Discovered, And They're Not What You Think | HuffPost

To deal with depression, you need to deal with its underlying causes.

Psychology | Psychology

7 Struggles Only the Rarest Myers-Briggs Personality Type Will Understand

The struggle is real for INFJs.

Psychology | Psychology

Those who need it most don’t get psychiatric care. It's a mental health crisis | Vyom Sharma | Opinion | The Guardian

People die without getting adequate psychiatric help, and it turns out even killing someone else isn’t enough to qualify for care. The system is failing