Awesome History

We’ve all heard the expression “dead as a doornail,” but we certainly didn’t know its origin. History and weapon enthusiast Malcolm P.L. explains the true meaning of the phrase while demonstrating the building technique that inspired it.

In the early 2000s, a website made the rounds that wreaked havoc on many computers, slowing them to a crawl as attempts to close its Flash animated windows only spawned more windows. NationSquid looks back at the story of YouAreAnIdiot and why it drew curious internet users like moths to a flame.

Orchestras have been around for hundreds of years. But why is it that certain instruments can be in an orchestra and others aren’t? Why do they have so many strings? Composer and educator David Bruce answers these and other questions about the origins of orchestras in this good-humored history lesson.

Shoulder pads, bell-bottoms, and slap bracelets are a few of the sillier fashion trends we can think of, but as BlueJay’s video points out, those are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the kinds of stupid fads that gained popularity over the years. It’s only a matter of time before the Macaroni look makes a comeback.

The first iPhone was released in 2007. But it was far from the first attempt to create a touchscreen smartphone. Slidebean explains how an Apple spin-off called General Magic helped lay the groundwork for modern smartphones back in 1994. While their ideas had promise, they made a few critical errors which did them in.

From fabled stashes of pirate’s booty to irreplaceable reels of film and works of art, there are some very special treasures waiting out there to be discovered. Join Mental Floss editor and host Erin McCarthy as she gets out her shovel and digs for some of the world’s most elusive artifacts.

Touted by toymakers as instantly-hatching beings running a tiny civilization, Sea Monkeys are just brine shrimp. Hank Green and Journey to the Microcosmos offer their close-up take on the weird history of these novelty sea creatures. Interested in learning more? We recommend the Stuff You Should Know episode on the topic.

For as many things that Disney has succeeded at, they’ve had their fair share of failures too. Kevin of Defunctland takes a look at one such flop, a one-handed sandwich that was basically a savory waffle cone, “The Handwich.” He then flips from Documentarian Mode to Chef Mode to replicate the cone-shaped sandwich.

The name “Tiffany” became wildly popular back in the 1980s. But the name came to be long before the I Think We’re Alone Now singer. Learn about the origins of the name and its history over the years in only the way that CGP Grey can tell a story.

(PG-13: Language) For decades, Ronald McDonald was one of the world’s most recognized brand mascots. But something happened when 2016 hit, and the once-ubiquitous character all but vanished from the scene. Ordinary Things recalls the history of the burger clown, from his creepy early beginnings to his eventual downfall.

While many considered Nikolai Tesla to be a genius, he also had some pretty outlandish ideas, like the notion that we would stop drinking coffee by the 21st century. Mental Floss editor Erin McCarthy explores this and a number of other wacky predictions that have yet to come true, among them, undersea buses propelled by whales.

The New York Times has been publishing the news since September 1851. In this fascinating and hypnotic 2017 video by Josh Begley, he offers up a visual history of the newspaper through the design of its front page. We’d love to see this updated on an annual basis. Best watched in 4K.

Did you know that Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You was the best-selling song of the 2010s? Nope? Us either. Comedians Adrian Gray and Archie Henderson presents what starts out as a serious reverse-chronological listing but quickly descends into madness as things take a wrong turn between Cher and The Bee Gees.

Netflix offers up a completely inaccurate history lesson on the origins of the U.S., in which a foul-mouthed, chainsaw-wielding George Washington leads the founding fathers. Voiced by Channing Tatum, Jason Mantzoukas, Olivia Munn, Judy Greer, Killer Mike, Bobby Moynihan, Raoul Max Trujillo, and more. Drops 7.30.2021.

Like many people, we enjoy collecting PEZ dispensers. Sure, the candy bricks that come inside them aren’t that exciting, but it’s the characters and dispensing mechanism that makes them fun. PEZ looks back at its own history, and explains how it got its start making peppermints. See also: How PEZ are made.

Ahoy is back with another of their great, deadpan videos about weaponry. This time, they provide a in-depth look at the fiery death-dealers known as flamethrowers, and their appearances in video games, movies, TV, and real-life combat. We had no idea flamethrower tanks were a thing.

In the early 1900s, electricity was about to take the world by storm. But live wires couldn’t safely be used without insulation. Resin harvested from insects worked, but was too expensive to harvest. Necessity being the mother of invention, it drove chemist Leo Baekeland to develop what would become the world’s first plastic.

Over the years, there have been numerous cases where toys got pulled off of the shelves. As part of his amazing Toy History series, Ed’s Retro Geek Out delves into some of the times when a toy vanished because of safety, consumer complaints, or other reason, in some cases, turning them into rare collectibles.

Car chases have been a staple of moviemaking since the days of silent film. Insider looks at how chase scenes have evolved over the years through the advancements in stunt coordination, safety equipment, cameras, rigging, and visual effects technologies.

Science video makers Kurzgesagt teamed up with author and online personality John Green to create an animated clip to accompany an excerpt from his podcast The Anthropocene Reviewed. The focus of the episode is on the possible meaning of cave paintings, and what they might tell us about the human condition.

To complement the Big Car video channel, Little Car creates documentaries about various kinds of vehicles, including toy cars. In this video, they look back at the origins of Mattel’s Hot Wheels cars, their various collections, and their evolution over the years. They’ve also got lessons on Matchbox, Dinky, and Corgi cars.

Google Arts & Culture’s online exhibition offers a fascinating look at the history of electronic music. The museum features content from cultural partners around the world and looks at the people, technology, and creativity that paved the way for modern music. You can also play with AR Synth, a virtual electronic music studio.

The first game to use Unreal Engine was… Unreal. Since it appeared on the scene in 1996, computer graphics technology has evolved in leaps and bounds. GameSpot looks back at the history of Epic’s 3D game engine, and just how far it’s come over the years, even powering the environments in The Mandalorian.