22+ min ago (421+ words) Everyone loves getting swept up in holiday cheer. And sometimes, the Christmas spirit is so strong that decorating just your home simply isn't going to cut it. Enter: Car decor! Maybe you've seen a car with antlers on the highway, or you've had a particularly jolly rideshare driver whose vehicle was decked out with twinkle lights.At face value, it seems harmless (and pretty adorable). But, surprisingly, these decorations come with a few unsung risks. Modern cars are basically computers that happen to drive. And, as such, you'll know that they're covered in cameras: front cameras, side cameras, reverse cameras, you name it! Manufacturers tuck these cameras into body panels so they blend in, which means you might accidentally cover one with a cute bow, and suddenly realize your lane-assist is no longer functioning. And it's not just the cameras…...

3+ hour, 24+ min ago (854+ words) There's a big problem with any discussion about the Bermuda Triangle. As the National Archives says, after the bare bones facts of some planes disappearing off Florida in 1945, "that is where rational agreement ends, and the conspiracy theories begin." (Now, some of that is true, some of that is false. According to writer Larry Kusche, the "flown to Mars quote is a complete fabrication from a time when the Navy report wasn't available. Many other quotes and anecdotes also seem to have just appeared in the mid-20th century with no backing to them.) Add Mental Floss as a"preferred news source! It didn't seem like you wanted to be traveling through the Bermuda Triangle in the early 1900s. In 1918, a Navy cargo ship named the USS Cyclops sank without sending any sort of distress signal, the 300 souls onboard vanishing in a seeming…...

1+ day, 2+ hour ago (473+ words) While it's a common saying that there's no place like home for the holidays, the people in this town really mean it. Some towns string up a few lights and call it a day, but these towns prepare for Santa Claus's arrival throughout the whole year! If you want to spend your Christmas season in a town that takes the "holiday spirit" very seriously, consider stopping by one of the 10 U.S. destinations that celebrate the holidays like nowhere else. If Santa decided to relocate to the Cascades, this would absolutely be his spot. Leavenworth is a traditional European Christmas market that plopped itself right on the west coast of the United States." Half a million lights glow across the village from November to February, and the whole town takes part in caroling. Plus, they make one heck of a gl'hwein, which…...

2+ day, 7+ hour ago (341+ words) Beyond their sled-pulling capabilities and discrimination against those with red noses, what do you really know about reindeer? Here are the facts about these Arctic animals. Reindeer'comes from the Old Norse word'hreindyri,'which combines'hreinn'(the Old Norse name for the animal) and'dyr'(deer).'Caribou'is the Canadian French version of the Mi'kmaq word'kaleboo, meaning pawer or scratcher, in reference to the animal's habit of digging through the snow for food. As for little Rudolph, he wasn't introduced until catalog writer Robert L. May'wrote'a children's book in verse for his employer, Montgomery Ward, in 1939 titled Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. A Visit from Saint Nicholas describes the reindeer as tiny. The only reindeer that could really be considered tiny is the Svalbard subspecies, which weighs about half as much as most reindeer subspecies and are at least a foot shorter in length. They have…...

2+ day, 13+ hour ago (767+ words) While the first two Knives Out films by Rian Johnson are filled with subtle references to classic mystery novels, Wake Up Dead Man'now playing in select theaters'is far more direct. In a scene where Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) and Father Jud (Josh O'Connor) are looking for clues, they find a list of five mystery books that relate to the case at hand." The scene feels like Johnson telling his audience: if you like this movie, please check these stories out. All of these books have ties to the film, but some of those ties are clearer than others. Here's our list of the five books, ranked by how much we think a Knives Out fan will enjoy them." Published in 1841, this is widely considered to be the first-ever detective story. It establishes the dynamic of the brilliant deductionist accompanied…...

3+ day, 21+ hour ago (367+ words) Cold showers have been having a moment in recent years. Thanks to influencers like "Iceman" Wim Hof'who practices breathing techniques that allegedly help the human body withstand extreme cold'to podcaster Joe Rogan's viral ice baths, more and more people are cutting warm water out of their daily wash-ups." But they're not doing it for fun. On the internet, you'll find no shortage of people claiming that cold showers provide a variety of health benefits, from improving your mood to boosting your immune system. Contrary to other social media-driven health fads, though, there's actual, scientifically verifiable evidence that cold showers do more than wake you up in the morning. As an article by UCLA Health summarizes, even "a few minutes" in a cold shower is enough to start feeling the effects." Cold showers may also improve mood and mental clarity. According…...

4+ day, 21+ hour ago (560+ words) While the complicated history of the first Thanksgiving has been getting increased attention in recent years, the modern holiday is as popular as ever, bringing together friends and families to enjoy each other's presence and show gratitude for all of the good things in their lives. The top sides nationally shouldn't be terribly surprising, as they include four classic Thanksgiving dishes and one regional favorite. The top five dishes were also all in the top last year, though macaroni and cheese stole green bean casserole's 2024 spot, shuffling the bottom of the list. A dish that is so synonymous with Thanksgiving barely making the list is very unexpected. Stuffing (often called dressing when cooked outside of the turkey) is undoubtedly the favorite side item in the country, being chosen as the top side dish by approximately 4/5 of the country and ranking…...

4+ day, 23+ hour ago (311+ words) With inflation, job insecurity, and soaring travel costs, many an American family has had to rethink their vacation plans. Weekend trips or summer vacations that used to be budget-friendly now risk breaking the bank. Back in July, The Washington Post reported that holiday spending in the U.S. was expected to drop by 25% thanks to growing economic uncertainty. But it doesn't have to be this way. For every dream destination that's become too expensive to visit, there's another that remains surprisingly affordable. Set your sights beyond the streets of New York City, the mountains of Aspen, or the theme parks of Orlando, and you'll find that there's no shortage of underappreciated vacation destinations where fun and luxury don't cost a fortune'yet." With its cobblestone streets, colonial-style homes, and horse-drawn carriages, Charleston feels stuck in time. Voted the best small city in the…...

5+ day, 2+ hour ago (400+ words) Thanksgiving is a holiday with few widespread traditions, yet one that continues to stay popular is watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Think you have what it takes to be a true Thanksgiving Day Parade expert? Find out with this 10-question quiz: While you might consider yourself an expert on the modern parade, it has gone through multiple transformations over the years since its creation. In 2024, approximately 3.5 million people watched the parade in person, with a record-setting 31.3 million viewers watching on television and streaming. That was the highest viewership of any televised event that year, excluding news and sports broadcasts. It's hard to believe that something created so many years ago continues to be that popular today. Thanksgiving continues to be minimized in the rush to start Black Friday sales and Christmas movie marathons, yet millions of people still tune…...

5+ day, 3+ hour ago (711+ words) Can you name a professional sports team from Iowa? No? Well, back in the 40s, they had an NBA team for about one year." And that short-lived NBA team wasn't the only sports team to fade into the past. Let's explore the most obscure, strange, defunct, and forgotten sports teams of yore, as adopted from the above episode of The List Show on YouTube. The Steam Roller were pretty good, earning a league championship in 1928 based on their win percentage. In 1929, they played what's believed to be the first-ever night game in NFL history, a make-up game with the Chicago Cardinals at a minor league baseball stadium in Providence. The football was painted white so it was more visible, which made it look a little like a giant egg." Thanks to the 1929 stock market crash, the team disbanded two years later,…...