Mental Floss

where knowledge junkies get their fix

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Laser Scans Detect Hidden Buildings and Tunnels Beneath Alcatraz

The inmates lived above a network of potential escape routes.

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Here's How Daylight Saving Time Affects Your Part of the Country

Daylight saving time was created to benefit Americans, but not every part of the country is affected equally.

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Disney Is Opening the Vault for Its New Streaming Service

All 34 animated movies in the Disney Vault will be available in one place for the first time after Disney Plus launches this year.

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There’s Now Only One Blockbuster Store Left in the World

And then there was one.

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It might seem like a random jumble of letters and numbers. But to some it has a specific meaning.

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If you'd invested $100 at the IPO price, what would that investment be worth today?

Here's what investments in the early stock offerings of major companies would be worth today.

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Why You Should Always Leave the Cap on a Plastic Bottle Before You Recycle It

Many of us were taught to crush plastic bottles and leave the cap off. As it turns out, that isn't the best approach.

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10 Bizarre Documentaries That Are Stranger Than Fiction

If these were fictional stories, you'd have a hard time swallowing them. But these documentaries are all true, and stranger than you might expect.

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This Cooling Body Pillow Is Designed to Be the Ultimate Accessory for Side-Sleepers

Big news for side-sleepers.

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Why Are Bots Unable to Check "I Am Not a Robot" Checkboxes?

Seems like something they should be able to do.

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After retiring from baseball, Jackie Robinson became the vice president of personnel at Chock Full O' Nuts—the first black VP of a major national corporation in the U.S.

Learn more in our Amazing Fact Generator.

[image credit: Keystone/Getty Images]

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Grow Up to 90 Fruits and Vegetables in Your House With This Auto-Watering Indoor Garden

This system lets you grow fruits and veggies year-round.

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The Reason Why the Genie From Aladdin Is Blue

If you've been on the internet lately, you may have seen photos of Will Smith painted blue for his new role as Aladdin's Genie. There's a reason why Disney doesn't want to change the character's hue.

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An Anthony Bourdain Food Trail Is Coming to New Jersey

State legislators just made it official.

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100 Words Turning 100 This Year

The words antioxidant, sports car, and moonwalking are turning 100 this year.