Daven Hiskey, Author at Today I Found Out

Author Archives: Daven Hiskey

The Pharmaceutical Company Bayer Coined the Name “Heroin” and Marketed the Drug as a Non-Addictive Cough Medicine

February 17, 2012 Daven Hiskey

Today I found out the pharmaceutical company Bayer coined the name “Heroin” and marketed the drug as a non-addictive cough medicine, among other uses. While opium itself has been commonly used since at least 3400 BC, heroin is a relatively new invention, derived from opium. Heroin, more technically known as diacetylmorphine, was first synthesized in 1874 by chemist Charles Romley […]

Mr. Rogers on Home Recording Copyright Law

February 16, 2012 Daven Hiskey

Mr. Rogers famously didn’t mind if people recorded his show with a VCR, arguing for people’s right to do so in a 1979 case Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc. At the time, it was being argued by the opposition that this constituted a copyright infringement. Mr. Rogers was one of the few involved in television that […]

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February 15: The World’s First General Purpose Digital Electronic Computer is Dedicated at the University of Pennsylvania

February 15, 2012 Daven Hiskey

This Day In History: February 15, 1946 On this day in history, 1946, the first ever general purpose digital electronic computer was dedicated at the University of Pennsylvania. The machine was called the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). It cost over $500,000 (around $6 million today), weighed around 57,000 pounds and took up 1800 square feet. Further, it featured […]

There is a Species of Jellyfish That can Age Backwards

February 14, 2012 Daven Hiskey

Today I found out there is a species of jellyfish that can age both forwards and backwards, making them theoretically immortal. Most jellyfish have a lifespan of between a few hours to a few months, though a few varieties can live for several years. The king of them all in terms of biological lifespan is the Turritopsis Nutricula which can […]

The First Automatic Bread Slicer was Invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder

February 14, 2012 Daven Hiskey

The world’s first automatic bread slicer was invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder in Davenport, Iowa. He first built a prototype of his bread slicer in 1912. Unfortunately, his blueprints and machine were destroyed in a fire in 1917. From there, he struggled to obtain funding to begin again on his machine as the idea of pre-sliced bread was not at […]

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The U.S. Army Has Developed a Near Silent Version of Velcro

February 14, 2012 Daven Hiskey

The U.S. army developed and uses a near silent version of Velcro on their soldier’s uniforms. The version they use reduces the ripping noise by about 95% over traditional Velcro. Unfortunately, you won’t see such Velcro for sale in the store anytime soon as the method of manufacturing this silent Velcro is currently classified by the military. *scumbag military: uses […]

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If You Eat an Excessive Amount of Carrots, Your Skin Will Turn an Orangish/Yellow Shade

February 13, 2012 Daven Hiskey

Today I found out if you eat an excessive amount of carrots, your skin will turn an orangish/yellow shade. Take notes those of you from New Jersey, you don’t need to get a fake tan to turn orange, you can simply eat large amounts of orange plants, such as orange carrots. The resulting condition is known as carotenemia and isn’t […]

How a Microwave Oven Works

February 13, 2012 Daven Hiskey

At its core, a microwave oven is a pretty simple device. It’s basically just a magnetron hooked up to a high voltage source. This magnetron directs microwaves into a metal box. These generated microwaves then bounce around inside the microwave until they are absorbed via dielectric loss in various molecules, resulting in the molecules heating up. Matter that works well […]

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What Grog was Originally Made From

February 11, 2012 Daven Hiskey

Today I found out what grog was originally made from. Although today the word “grog” has more or less turned into a slang term to refer to just about any alcoholic beverage in many parts of the world, particularly in Australia and New Zealand, grog was originally just a mixture of rum with water, sometimes with a bit of lemon […]

February 9th: William G. Morgan Invents a Game Called Mintonette that is Better Known Today as Volleyball

February 9, 2012 Daven Hiskey

This Day In History: February 9, 1895 On this day in history, 1895, the first volleyball game, originally called “Mintonette” (referencing its similarity to badminton), was played in Holyoke Massachusetts at a YMCA. The inventor of the game was the YMCA athletic director there, William G. Morgan. Morgan had become intrigued by the recently invented game of basketball, which had […]

Former Major League Baseball Player Moe Berg was Once a Secret Agent in the Predecessor to the CIA

February 9, 2012 Daven Hiskey

Today I found out former MLB player Moe Berg was once a secret agent in the predecessor to the CIA. Morris “Moe” Berg was originally recruited to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the predecessor to the CIA, in August of 1943 when he was 41 years old and had been retired from baseball for about four years. At the […]

How Eric Clapton Got the Nickname “Slowhand”

February 9, 2012 Daven Hiskey

The nickname “Slowhand” was not, as is commonly thought, given to Clapton due to playing the guitar slowly. Rather, it was given to him because of audiences giving him a slow hand clap when he would replace guitar strings on stage. When most guitar players break a string on stage, a roady will typically bring them another guitar and fix […]

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Why Anvils are Shaped as They Are and Why Blacksmiths Often Tap the Anvil After a Few Strikes on the Object They’re Working On

February 8, 2012 Daven Hiskey

Today I found out why anvils are shaped the way they are and why blacksmith/farriers/etc. sometimes tap the anvil after a few strikes on the object they’re working on. Anvil shape has evolved greatly since the earliest anvil-like objects. These primitive objects used for anvils were typically made of stone, often just a slab of rock. The first metal anvils […]

February 8th: Mickey Mantle is Threatened with a Lifetime Ban from Baseball, and Subsequently Banned, for Working at a Casino

February 8, 2012 Daven Hiskey

This Day In History: February 8, 1983 On this day in history, 1983, Mickey Mantle was threatened by the commissioner of baseball, Bowie Kuhn, that if he didn’t stop working for the Claridge Casino in Atlantic City, he’d be put on baseball’s permanently ineligible list, which meant he’d be banned from any Major or Minor League Baseball related activities including […]

Michael Keaton was Once a Stagehand on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

February 7, 2012 Daven Hiskey

Michael Keaton was once a stagehand on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Keaton also appeared in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as an acrobat in The Flying Zookeenie Brothers troupe that performed for the birthday of King Friday in 1975. He eventually quit his job there to pursue acting full time. Another interesting “Keaton” factoid is that his name isn’t actually Michael Keaton. In […]

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What Arwen is Saying (in English) After Crossing the River When Chased by the Ringwraiths in the Fellowship of the Ring

February 7, 2012 Daven Hiskey

In Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring, when Arwen defeats the Ringwraiths after crossing the river, the words she speaks in that scene translate into English thus: “Waters of the Misty Mountains, hear the word of power, rush, waters of Bruinen (Loudwater), against the Ringwraiths!” (Nîn o Chithaeglir lasto beth daer; rimmo nín Bruinen dan in Ulaer!) […]

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Where the Word “Taxi” Comes From

February 7, 2012 Daven Hiskey

The name “taxi” is obviously shortened from “taxicab”, which is derived from the two words: “taximeter” and “cabriolet”. The taximeter was invented in 1891 and is used to record distances and calculate the fare. Cabriolet refers to a horse drawn carriage where the driver stands in the back of the carriage. The name “taximeter” itself is derived from the Mid-Latin […]

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The Cincinnati Reds were Once Renamed the “Redlegs” Due to the Second Red Scare

February 6, 2012 Daven Hiskey

Today I found out the Cincinnati Reds were once renamed the “Redlegs” due to the second “Red Scare”. The Cincinnati Reds name was originally inspired by a previously existing team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, which was the first fully professional baseball team. This former team had ten men on salary for eight months to play baseball for the Red Stockings. […]

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