Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 18, 1915, John R. Fox grew up in Ohio before attending Wilberforce University, an African American college located in a town of the same name. He met his future wife, Arlene, there while he studied biology and science. The couple moved to Brockton, Massachusetts after getting married, where they had a daughter, Sandra. At […]
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Rene I. asks: What makes the new car smell and is it true that it is toxic to humans? That “new car smell” is romanticized and beloved by many people. In fact, it is so desired that there is even an air freshener that is scented as “new car smell. ” But what produces this distinct scent and are the […]
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This Day In History: December 10, 1907 On December 10, 1907, a reported thousand men, many medical students, marched through London defending the practice of surgery on live animals (vivisection). This demonstration ended in Trafalgar Square when the police charged the rioters on horseback, culminating in a street battle of several hours’ duration. Incredibly, all of this ire was directed […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn what causes the so-called “eye-floaters” that you may occasionally see when looking at things like a bright blue sky. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by going here: Daily Knowledge Podcast
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Mar.W asks: Why are zombies always depicted liking to eat brains? Zombies have been a pop culture staple for decades, and in that time the concept of the dead coming back to life somehow to feast on the living has proliferated virtually every form of media that exists. One trait that is seemingly synonymous with zombies is their apparent need to feed […]
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This Day In History: December 9, 1992 “’Well, there were three of us in the marriage so it was a bit crowded.”- Princess Diana It was an announcement that would have been no surprise at all had they been any other British couple. Even after all the very public tiffs and extramarital dalliances, the House of Commons let out a […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn whether there is any truth to the idea that women used to commonly get married shortly after puberty. In the bonus topic today, you’re going to learn why the toilet is sometimes called a “John.” [TRANSCRIPT: Marriage Age | Toilet] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You […]
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Mark C. asks: Where did the expression “a penny for your thoughts” come from? The word “penny” may have come from the English ruler Penda, King of Mencia (an Anglo-Saxton kingdom in today’s English midlands). During his reign from 626 AD to 655 AD, he issued coins that were called “pending.” To further this theory along, the old English word […]
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The history books (and Hollywood) often describe the famous lawman, Wyatt Earp, as many things: brave, courageous, moral, law-abiding, and honorable. In the story of the “Gunfight at the OK Corral,” Earp is often portrayed as the hero, the good guy we all should be rooting for. In truth, Wyatt Earp was a much more complicated individual who, among other […]
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This Day In History: December 8, 1980 It was the last thing people expected. On December 8, 1980, Howard Cosell announced during Monday Night Football that John Lennon, legendary musician and peace activist, had been shot and killed outside his home in New York City. The shooter, 25-year-old Mark David Chapman, made no attempt to flee the scene or resist […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why tires stopped being made white and instead are now almost always made black excepting with novelty tires. In the bonus topic, you’re also going to learn how men’s and women’s bikes came to have the differing designs the do. [TRANSCRIPT: Tires | Bikes] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: […]
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Our very good friends over at Neatorama are currently running a Cyber Week Christmas sale in their popular NeatoShop. They are also offering free world wide shipping (yes, world-wide). The sale runs now until Sunday the 7th at 11:59pm. So if you’re looking for some neato inexpensive gifts for people, go check it out now before this promo ends!
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This Day In History: December 5, 1901 On December 5, 1901 Walter Elias Disney, the man who would turn a rodent into a beloved icon and go on to create a global empire of family-friendly movies, merchandise and theme parks, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Always the artist and entrepreneur, he used to sell his drawings to his neighbors to […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn how the terms “bull” and “bear” came to be applied to the stock market. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by going here: Daily Knowledge Podcast
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In case you ever wondered how your relatives came to be called what they are, here’s a brief history. The modern English word for a parent’s sister, “aunt,” is a direct descendant of the Modern French word of the same meaning, tante. Both derive from the Latin word, amita, meaning “paternal aunt,” and the word is associated with the Greek […]
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Jeremy R. asks: Who were the richest people in history? Wealth transcends time. It is also extremely hard to evaluate. There have been more than a few studies and lists that have tried to figure out who are the richest people of all time. This task has been proven to be nearly impossible. Accurately adjusting for inflation is just one […]
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This Day In History: December 4, 1154 Pope Adrian IV began life as Nicholas Breakspear, hailing from St. Albans in Hertfordshire, England. He felt an affinity for the Church from an early age, although he was turned away from the local abbey due to his lack of education. He studied in Merton Priory in 1125, but being a Saxon in […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the intrepid teenager who created the first ready-made cake mix, then later the ever popular confectionery PEZ, as well as just what “PEZ” stands for and why they originally came in special containers. In the bonus topic, you’re also going to learn why Rice Krispies “snap, crackle, and pop.” [Transcript: PEZ | […]
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