The internet makes April Fool’s Day shenanigans accessible to millions of people, many of them quite gullible, as any spammer can attest. Here are some of the biggest and best internet pranks from the past few years, in a list I posted at mental_floss.
Fifty people, one questions. Times four. People seem most more honest and open when they don’t have time to overthink their answers. (via Breakfast Links)
Brilliant Inventions that Look Like Gag Gifts. Would you believe... a helicopter ejector seat? A solar-powered flashlight? An inflatable anchor? (via The Daily What)
It’s been almost a year since I shared my ever-growing collection of helpful and not-so-helpful flowcharts found on the internet. The list has grown, and some of the latest flowcharts explain everything from how to date your cousin to picking up food from the floor. See ten of these in this list I posted at mental_floss.
The Lion on Gripsholm's Slott. Don't ever hire a taxidermist who's never seen an animal like yours.
5 Science Experiments Gone Wrong. The short version: oops, bad idea, bad idea, total nutcase, and poor public perception.
My kitten waits until long after everyone is retired for the night and then announces to the entire house that someone forgot to close the piano. She is only one in a long line of talented and not-so-talented creatures who play piano. See a collection of them in these videos I posted at mental_floss.
Midnight was born missing part of one leg, and then was so neglected by his owner that he was seized by authorities. The adorable horse was close to being euthanized when the staff at Ranch Hand Rescue came up with a plan to get Midnight a new leg.
Some people love a challenge. Some people are handed challenges they never asked for. Whether from pride, passion, inspiration, or a combination of all those things, some people are willing to do what it takes to accomplish what they aren’t “supposed” to be able to do. I remember a phrase from my childhood, used as a comeback when someone is told they can’t or won’t do something- “You hide and watch me.” Here are nine folks who took those challenges and ran with them, in the latest chapter I posted of a continuing series at mental_floss.
Build Your Wild Self. From the New York Zoo and Aquarium. (via Everlasting Blort)
Parents are anxious about everything to do with raising children, despite thousands of generations of parents who also didn’t have all the answers. This anxiety by itself can have negative consequences for growing children.
The Origins of Genetic Quirks. The Sonic hedgehog gene is responsible for polydactylism in Hemingway cats. Got it? (Thanks, E Willse!)Not imaginatively shot or edited, the pleasure comes from the campy song itself, the attractive Quintana (with some killer legs!) and the spritely choreography (uncredited but possibly the work of Julian de Meriche, who appears in the movie as an actor). And where else do you get to see someone singing in Spanish with a faux-Chinese accent!
The 20 Best Supermarket Fails. A marketing background is not required for one to make grocery signs, but don’t you just love seeing a sign that’s worth whipping out the camera for?
We love March Madness! We love it so much that we can’t restrict it to just a basketball tournament. See, citizens of the internet love to make charts and graphs (which includes tournament brackets), and they love reader participation polls. Some of these tournaments want your vote to select the winner, others are just for grins. Find a dozen such tournaments (actually more than that) in this list I posted at mental_floss.
Unusual St. Patrick's Day Celebrations. From Arkansas to the Caribbean to Japan, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day!
The biggest earthquake ever in Japan was also the most scientifically documented. Data shows that the shock deformed the earth’s shape and shifted its axis.
Today is March 15th, which is known as the Ides of March. So, what does that mean, exactly? And how are we supposed to celebrate? Find out in this article I wrote for mental_floss.
Madison gives us a tutorial on how to put on makeup with brushes. I only recommend this video because our expert Madison is five years old.
Happy Pi Day! Besides eating pie, there are plenty of ways to celebrate.
She’s just a little girl, standing in the hallway of a hotel. Some people are a little touchy -or they’ve seen too many movies.
National Geographic has a new infinite photo project online called Tropical Island. You can select an area and click to zoom in on more images of native creatures, and then click again to zoom on more! (via Metafilter)
You Might be a Redneck Jedi If....
Many mental_floss readers contributed to the list of bookstore cats we met in the previous four posts on the subject -and I certainly appreciate your help! However, many of those favorites don’t have a picture or biography on the internet. Here are some of the few left that do, in a new list of cats I posted at mental_floss.
Chicken Chasing: A Cajun Mardi Gras Tradition.7 Carnivals Around the World.
Virtual Mardi Gras Beads! Just click the magic words.
How to Make a King Cake.
Ballet is hard, but young ballerinas are adorable.
Taking on any project involving The Beatles is an overwhelming task, so I simplified matters by limiting the selection to a few animated videos. I hope you enjoy these eight at mental_floss.
With a thousand times the number of cells humans have, you’d think blue whales would be more prone to cancer, but that is just not so. What are they doing that we should learn to do?
Cats Do Hollywood Movies!
The Physics of Breakfast Cereal.
This past Sunday marked the end of an era in US history. Frank W. Buckles celebrated his 110th birthday on February first. He died peacefully at his home on February 27th. Buckles was one of 4,734,992 Americans who served in World War I. With his death, there are no more surviving US veterans of that war.
Princess Bride Cats.