The Hornets were supposed to be the Spirit, while the Grizzlies were almost named the Mounties. Why is a team in Los Angeles nicknamed the Lakers, and what’s a team called the Jazz doing in Utah? As the NBA season tips off tonight, here’s the sto...

If you’re a fan of this blog, you probably like to read. A lot. And you probably have your own favorite book jacket designs. Go ahead and drop ‘em in the comments so we can build on this admittedly subjective list. Oh, and if you have a...

Each guitar on this list helped define either a genre, a sound, or in some cases, a career. Think of it as an introduction to some of the most popular guitars in the world. For the companion post...

With Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince coming out in the U.S. later this week, it’s time to out myself as a Slytherin Supporter. Maybe you already knew that. Nothing against Gryffindors – I’m no Voldemort or anything – ...

Last Sunday, a tragic monorail crash at Walt Disney World (between the Pink and Purple trains) killed the driver of Purple, Austin Wuennenberg. In the aftermath, Disney closed the monorail system for investigation and there has been a surprising amo...

The Soviet Union decided the best way to show up the West was to build the biggest version of any given object. The following are just seven of the largest examples. 1. A Palace for the People In 1931, Joseph Stalin ordered that the largest Orthodox...

It’s an all-new 5-day trivia hunt, with an all-new set of puzzles, prizes, and now, a major sponsor! Co-puzzle Master Josh Halbur and I are thrilled to announce that How Did You Know? now has its very own Geritol. Yes, the extraordinary video...

The two-minute warning comes up at the end of each half in every NFL football game. Most fans take it for granted, but why does the NFL stop the clock with two minutes or so left in each half? Is it just so the NFL can sneak an extra commercial break...

Looking for Thanksgiving dinner conversational fodder? Follow mental_floss on Twitter. As one reader put it, “Your Twitter feed is like sitting next to Cliff Clavin at the bar.” I’ll take that as a compliment.

Okay, this is just silly. I figured you might want to let off some steam before Thanksgiving. What follows are six American Budget Shopping Network clips. This “network” is basically comedian Andy Daly (best known for his part on the HBO show...