20 Random Facts You Need To Know

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.

[cherylcampbell]

In Oregon we all laugh at the exploding whale. Paul Linman was the reporter who covered the event. And the event nearly covered him.

[CrystalWilliamsoncoach]

20 years and still going strong! Thank you Mental Floss <3

[Washu]

The beavers dropping from the sky on parachutes were probably thinking about changing their opinion of traveling by truck to be more favorable.

[nyls]

Thank you for 20 years of learning and entertainment Mental Floss! Can’t wait for the next 20 years to come!

[EddieVanAidan]

Wait Mental Floss is 20?! I had always assumed it was a John/Hank Green spin off. Would love a short video on your history 😄 Keep up the greatness!

[oldschoolm]

Please keep up the good work Mental Floss. I absolutely love random trivia, because I find the world and everything on it utterly fascinating!

[glcol]

Tv show "The West Wing" had an entire episode named "Big Block of Cheese Day" commemorating the cheese incident. It's a great episode.

[marcrugani]

Would love you to bring back the magazine!

[fleetwoodmacadamianut]

Does anyone else put on Mental Floss videos to fall asleep to? I’ve heard the lobster fact like 30 times but never finished this video 😂

[kevinogracia]

I remember when Mental Floss was a magazine.
Three thumbs up.

[fireaza]

Italian Futurists: *PROPOSES ITALY EAT RICE INSTEAD OF PASTA*
Italians: *ANGRY GESTICULATING*

[Varizen]

See, Erin, you leave me with so many questions. Is this entry on here because you really like lobsters? Or do you just really like endocrine and urinary based facts? How did you learn this? What exactly was going on in your life the day you learned this? Was this a rabbit hole adventure of knowledge or was it just something you chanced upon? What aspect of this resonated with you so hard? What was your back up 2nd place choice? Would it too have been excratorily based? Or would it have been face based? Or would it have been Lobster based? Also, why is a fact about No.1 listed as No. 2? I'm going to lay awake at night for weeks trying to figure out what led you down that path.

[guarddog]

Seems lobsters bring whole new meaning to the term "pissing contest". lol

[Poptartish]

8:13 when she said Lego is the world’s most prolific tire manufacturer.

My response: “A tire is a tire. And it counts. Rather it’s a spare, flat, bicycle or Lego!” 🤣🤣🤣

[jamielancaster]

I have a FACT: Mary the murderest elephant was hung on September 13, 1916 in Erwin Tennessee. She was Asian elephant and was part of the Sparks World Famous Shows circus.

[orangestars]

Exploding wale animal park and parachuting beavers! 😂 😂 I’m done ☠️

[childofivy]

20 years of mental floss?! Grats! Now I feel old.

[btetschner]

I used to work at an underwater sea connector factory in Burwell, Nebraska that produced some parts that were used to discover the titanic underwater.
It is called Subconn (a portmanteau of Submarine Connectors).
Very interesting facts, thank you for the video.

[greenredblue]

Fun fact about that "eating pills instead of food" trope - it's nonsense, and you can figure this out pretty easily with math.

The most energy-dense substance we can easily access is gasoline, so use that as a basis for comparison. Assuming the average human consumes 2000 Calories a day, (and assuming i've done the math right) then that equates to about a quarter cup of gasoline.

So in order to replace food with pills you'd need to find some kind of chemical(s) with an energy density several times higher than gasoline which, unlike gasoline, is nontoxic and bioavailable. If you can't do that, then you'd have to eat so many pills each day that you might as well just have food.

[Vonliktenstien]

More bloopers and levity in future videos please. Great vid. That nacho fact blew my mind.