Between May and October 1893, nearly 26 million visitors flocked to Chicago to visit the World's Columbian Exposition. Here are a few photos from the event.

Why do some analog clocks with Roman numerals have '4' as 'IV,' while others have 'IIII'? This is one of those questions where no one seems to have a definitive answer, and probably no one ever ...

While boxing isn’t as popular as it once was, the practice of fighting with fists, also known as pugilism, is so deeply entrenched in our culture, we might not know we’re using centuries-old ...

Slogging through dense passages can be time-consuming and exhausting. Speed up the process—and maintain comprehension—with these tips.

Reader Jack writes in to say, “I can’t for the life of me figure out where the term ‘Dad’ or its similar cousins like ‘Daddy’ or ‘Dada’ come from. What’s the deal with “dad ...

Most of our abbreviations for units of measurements are pretty straightforward. They are made up of of letters from the words they stand for. So how do we get lb for “pound” and oz for ...

Ever wonder if the actors who voice the villains are just as mean-looking as their on-screen counterparts? Wonder no more. For the most part, the answer is no—but there are definitely a few ...

Even if you're not a Fanilow, you've almost certainly gotten some of Barry Manilow's handiwork stuck in your head.

The origins of some nicknames are obvious. It’s easy to see why Ed is short for Edward, Nick is short for Nicholas, and Ally is short for Allison. Other diminutives require more explanation. If ...

Ever wonder what instrument was used to make that funny sound of the adults talking on the Peanuts cartoons? It's a trombone with the rubber end of a toilet plunger over the instrument's bell. By ...

Travelers to Chicago may experience the wind gusts that come off Lake Michigan, get tossed around a bit and think, “So this is why it’s called the Windy City.” The nickname, which dates back ...

Chloe Effron for Mental Floss Available from 1974 to 1983, these chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies—which came in an assorted box—were a throwback to Girl Scout Cookies’ early flavors ...