Add
Private Notes
The "animals involved in crimes" in this episode of The List Show range from petty wildlife criminals to key pieces of evidence. You'll learn about the weevils put on trial and the monkey who likes biting (but not pepperoni).
The Illuminati has been the talk of conspiracy theorists for centuries. But did you know that the Illuminati was actually a real secret society? Not so crazy now, huh? In this bonus episode of The List Show, Justin dives into some very evil and mysterious facts about the real Illuminati.
Scientific mysteries continue to stump experts in fields ranging from meteorology to medicine. Why does the placebo effect work more for some people than others? What's the deal with Morning Glory clouds? And will Oliver kill Erin in her sleep?
From the first art heist in history to a series of high-profile cheese robberies, this episode of The List Show is all about off-the-wall historical heists. You'll learn about the time an entire church was stolen brick by brick and how Jesse James wasn't always as successful as his reputation might suggest.
Erin breaks down 17 strange robberies and puzzling burglaries. Beanie Baby lovers and parmesan partisans will want to watch.
Time is on our side in this episode of The List Show, as Erin breaks down leap seconds, 445-day-long years, and many other fun time facts. You'll learn how an atomic clock works and why gravity can make time behave in funny ways.
From Napoleon's penis to Galileo's finger, the body parts of historical figures are steeped in legend. We try to separate the fact from fiction (and the mummified head from bizarre stuffed figure) in this episode of The List Show covering the notable body parts of historical figures.
The British Royal Family is either a potent symbol of national pride or a harmful anachronism, depending on which sources you listen to. The House of Windsor enjoys widespread popularity in the UK and many of its commonwealth realms, and yet a majority of young Britons express a desire to leave the monarchy behind.
In this episode of The List Show, Erin (@erinccmarthy) flies through 100 fun facts about the British royal family, from truck-driving queens to scandal-plagued Kings (did someone mention a "love chair"?).
The weirdest weapons in history include a military-grade stink bomb, a pistol disguised as a tube of lipstick, and earthenware pots filled with venomous snakes. Erin breaks down those weird weapons and more in this episode of The List Show.
"Weird weapons" is obviously a subjective term, but we think each of these weapons (whether deployed or just proposed) have something strange enough about them to merit inclusion on this list. We'll even cover a "dog doo transmitter," which isn't a weapon at all, but does have the words "dog doo" featured prominently in its name.
Pet advice from the Middle Ages isn't exactly like pet advice from today. Sure, you have your diet tips and expectations for obedience, but there's also a smattering of Latin incantations, unusual remedies, and enough superstition to fill a great dane. Erin breaks down that and more as she discussed medieval pet advice in this episode of The List Show.
The stories behind paintings and sculptures can be as interesting as the work itself. From romantic intrigue to momentous geopolitical events, looking "behind the easel" can shed light on our shared history and culture. Erin shares the stories behind artistic masterpieces, from Rothko's Seagram Murals to Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer.
The most expensive painting in the world (sold at auction) is of rather-disputed provenance. The most expensive sculpture ever sold was "Plan B" for its creator. And the most expensive empire may be the Roman Empire, if you'll allow us some poetic (historic?) license.
Justin breaks down 15 of the most expensive "blanks" ever, from kidney stones to comic books.
The Curious Reader is a book from the team at Mental Floss about books and authors, from Achebe to Zami. It includes fun facts about author's past lives and writing processes, interesting trivia about literature, and Mental Floss's cheeky point of view.
Historic con artists used their marks' "confidence" against them. They were able to swindle innocent victims out of money with phony businesses, non-existent products, and a smorgasbord of too-good-to-be-true promises of instant riches.
The historical cons, scams, grifts, and tricks featured in this episode of The List Show may be mostly passé, but they teach us something about how con artists ply their trade, in the past and today.
Etymology is not an exact science, but the stories behind word origins and etymologies can still teach us a lot. In this episode of The List Show, Erin breaks down the interesting etymology of 70 words, from vaccine to science.
You'll learn the etymology of vaccine and much more.
Romantic advice from the past runs the gamut from the solid to the stupefying. For every logical admonition by an 18th-century Dear Abby, you have a man weighing in with far too many thoughts on women's underwear.
In this episode of The List Show, Erin covers relationship tips from the past—roughly the 18th century until the early 1900s—from the admirable to the abominable. You'll learn about the dangers of being a tomboy and the benefits of marrying someone exactly like you (delivered by a man whose resemblance to his own wife will otherwise go un-noted here).
Broadway is a street in New York, but it's also practically synonymous with musical theater. The Broadway facts in this episode of The List Show will shed light on some of the pre-theater history of The Great White Way (and you'll find out when it first earned that nickname). You'll also learn facts about Broadway in its infancy and dig into some of its most recent box-office bonanzas.
When you think about amazing things found in shipwrecks, your mind might go to gold doubloons. But would you think of centuries old (still potable!) champagne? Or love letters that can still be read decades later?
In this episode of The List Show, Erin breaks down some of the most fascinating things found in shipwrecks.
Does the Monopoly man have a monocle? Or is your memory playing tricks on you?
In this episode of The List Show, host Justin Dodd (@juddtoday) tackles this mysterious memory phenomenon known as the Mandela Effect. From Jiffy peanut butter to the classic 90s genie-comedy Shazaam, we're exploring shared false memories. How many did you "remember"?
The interesting facts in this episode of The List Show are pulled from 20 years of Mental Floss History. We've got fun and slightly random facts about all the important topics: presidents, literature, wombat poop. You'll learn our favorite fun facts about food history and more than you probably wanted to know about tortoise sex.
Why are some animals "ugly"? What does the aye-aye get out of having such big eyes, and why does the star-nosed mole have a star nose? Guest host Jaida Elcock answers those questions and more in this special mini-episode of The List Show.
The NASA inventions (or NASA spinoffs, as they're known inside the space agency) in this episode of The List Show pop up throughout our daily lives. Did you now that NASA helped give us scratch-resistant lenses, memory foam, and the image sensors used in smartphone cameras?
Erin (@erincmccarthy) touches on those NASA inventions and more in this not-so-out-of-this-world episode of The List Show.
Whatever happened to pirate Amaro Pargo's treasure? Or over 90 classic episodes of Doctor Who?
In this episode of The List Show, host Erin McCarthy explores some of the most interesting and valuable pieces of lost treasure. From lost pieces of media to literal pirate booty, we'll be covering the amazing and tragic stories of valuables that seem to be gone forever.
The ice age may be over, but did you realize we're still in AN ice age? Do you know what causes ice ages, or why some scientists are looking to rocks as a way to combat climate change?
Erin answers those questions and many more in this episode of The List Show, all about THE ice age—and ice ages, more broadly (you'll learn about the primary ice ages in Earth's history).
Whether it's "the golden age of television" or "the second golden age of television," the last two decades have been pretty kind to TV. Erin shares fascinating facts about television history (starting, roughly, with the Sopranos) in this episode of The List Show.
The scary stories about "cursed objects" in this episode of The List Show may not all stand up to intense scrutiny, but they can still tell us something interesting about the history and culture they come out of. Does a "cursed" chest of drawers reveal something unresolved in a country's history? Why do we find it so appealing to think James Dean drove a star-crossed car?
Erin breaks down the stories of ten so-called cursed objects, ranging from the creepy to the ridiculous. You'll learn about Ötzi the Iceman and Robert the Doll, along with other artifacts said to bring bad luck to anyone in their path.
The history of magic is filled with colorful characters, from Harry Houdini to the Little Man of Nuremberg. In this episode of The List Show, Erin shares fun facts about magic history, from magic-hating monarchs to the history of stage magic as an art form.
The golden age of film defined Hollywood for more than a generation. And while Old Hollywood may evoke romantic images of soft-focus stars, the era was also marked by a certain "make it up as you go" spirit that could lead to folly (or worse).
The surprising facts about Old Hollywood in this episode of the List Show run the gamut, from the amusing to the appalling. You'll learn what "The Black Box" was and why a film crew dumped asbestos on Judy Garland.
"Vaccine facts" seems to have become a surprisingly loaded term over the last couple years, but the history of vaccines is actually full of heated opinions and outlandish ideas. In this video, we drill down to just the facts about vaccination and the history of vaccines. You'll learn about the first vaccine, what an mRNA vaccine does (and does not) do, and why anti-vaxxers are not a new phenomenon.
Interesting facts about science, math, and much more comprise this episode of The List Show. You’ll learn fun 2021 facts about archeological discoveries and the world of entertainment. You'll glean insights from cutting-edge research in a number of fields as Erin (@erincmccarthy) lays out 100 interesting facts we learned this year.
Tail-regenerating lizards and egg-breaking egg-sperts will want to watch. You’ll learn about a “Lost Golden City” in Egypt and the first recorded observation of a new state of matter.
