A Guide to the Chemistry of Cold Weather
You might have noticed that it’s pretty cold throughout much of the United States—frostbite-inducing, school-closing,…
100 Million Americans Are About to Freeze Their Asses Off
The time of great suffering is upon us. The polar vortex is ushering in a deep freeze across the Midwest that’s among…
The Polar Vortex Could Bring Life-Threatening Cold to the Midwest Next Week
If you live in the Midwest, I’m sorry. All signs are pointing toward an extremely dangerous and potentially historic…
The Polar Vortex Could Bring Record Cold to This Weekend's Chiefs-Patriots Championship Game
On Sunday, two of the nation’s greatest nemeses will be in Kansas City: the Patriots and the polar vortex. Tailgating…
How Do Winter Olympians Stay Warm?
Nearly three thousand athletes have made their way to the Winter Olympic this month, and probably at least a couple are…
When It's Cold Outside, Is it Better To Stand, Walk, or Run to Keep Warm?
While waiting for the bus in the dead of winter, you’ve probably wondered if taking a run around the block would help…
Stuff This Windbreaker With Leaves or Newspapers and It Becomes a Warm Emergency Parka
Are you obsessed with packing light when you travel, even if it means not being prepared for the weather where you’re…
Scientists Made Something Colder Than Ever Thought Possible
When it comes to cooling things in the lab, scientists have long found an experimental lower limit just above the…
You Can Stash This Folding Under-Desk Heater in a Filing Cabinet Until You Get Cold
It doesn’t matter how fancy the office you work in is, it’s an unwritten rule that when winter arrives, you’re going to…
The History of Antarctica Is Actually a Really Fun Tale About Dinosaurs, Penguins, and Warm Weather
Antarctica isn’t exactly a place I want to know more about. I mean, it’s cold, it’s dark, and it’s probably not meant…
Glorious Footage of Animals in the Bitter Cold
Muskoxen look like mythical creatures, stuff you’d see in a museum or on a TV show. That’s because they’re animals from…
Thermal Imaging Reveals How Fast a Shirtless Person Loses Body Heat in the Cold
Here is footage taken using the military spec Selex Merlin thermal imaging camera of a shirtless man in the Scottish…
How Bad Are Arctic Winters? One Photo Says It All.
If you were idly wondering what it might be like to visit the High Canadian Arctic in the dead of winter, this…
Winter Is Coming, Are You Ready?
Well, are you? Here’s a comprehensive guide to staying warm, staying dry and staying active when it’s cold outside.…
Beautiful aerial photo of New York surrounded by ice
Impressive aerial photo of New York surrounded by ice taken from the southern tip of Manhattan—tiny icebergs and ice…
Drone footage reveals the alien world that is a frozen Niagara Falls
Pick your pop culture reference—the Fortress of Solitude or Hoth—and brush the mountains in cotton candy white and add…
Snow plow looks like it's drifting when it clears the snow
This monster snow plow, the TowPlow, totally looks like it's drifting and dangerously flying through the snow covered…
The Most Common Misconceptions About Getting Sick, Debunked
In the latest installment of Mental Floss' debunk-tastic series Misconceptions, Elliott Morgan serves up factual…
The Science Behind Freak Snowstorms
If you've ever experienced the overwhelming "flash snowstorm" that is lake effect snow, you know that the sudden…
These Mysterious Ice Pancakes Have Taken Over a Scottish River
Weird things happen in the winter cold. At the River Dee in Scotland, that includes dozens of recently discovered "ice…