Paul E. asks: Is it true that Canadian beer has a lot more alcohol in it than American beer? Canadians boast longer lives, safer communities, free nationalized healthcare, a cleaner environment, the most gold medals in Olympic hockey, and, of course, poutine. But, contrary to popular belief, one thing they don’t do any different than their friends to the south […]
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This Day In History: November 14, 1959 “TV has altered drastically the nature of our political campaigns, conventions, constituents, candidates, and costs…” — Senator John F. Kennedy On November 14, 1959, an article written by Senator John F. Kennedy from Massachusetts appeared as part of a series TV Guide was presenting called “Television As I See It.” JFK’s contribution was […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the accidental invention of silly putty and how it rose from relative obscurity to become one of the most popular fad toys of its generation. [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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While speed governing systems have been around on automobiles almost as long as they have existed (the first known one was installed on a Wilson-Pilcher car in 1900) and similar systems have been around long before that to control steam engines (as far back as the 17th century), the invention of the modern cruise control system is credited to inventor […]
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Jason H. asks: Here’s one for you I’ve never found a satisfactory answer on. Why don’t hot dogs and hot dog buns come in packs of the same number? Has it always been this way? Yes, finally today we are going to answer perhaps the most oft asked question we get in our inbox, a question that has been perplexing […]
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This Day In History: November 13, 1974 On November 13, 1974, a 28 year-old technician at a plutonium plant named Karen Silkwood died in a one-car crash near Crescent, Oklahoma. She was headed to a meeting with a union representative and a reporter for the New York Times. Witnesses who saw here last claim she carried with her a folder […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the difference between concrete and cement, as well as a lot of interesting facts about concrete and cement. [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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We haven’t done a quick fact round-up in ages, so here you go. What follows is the Top 100 Quick Facts (as chosen by us) on TodayIFoundOut. f
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Ryan C. asks: How do they make tattoos permanent? In other words, how do they get tattoos to remain even as your skin is constantly regenerating? Depending on the source you consult, anywhere from 14 to 23 percent of American adults and about 24% of British adults have at least one tattoo, a figure that one would think is set […]
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Today in History: November 12, 1954 Almost half of those living in the United States today can trace their roots back to a descendant who entered the country through Ellis Island, the gateway to America. The island, situated in New York Harbor, closed its doors on November 12, 1954 after processing over 12 million immigrants since officially opening on January […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about how one man’s pet peeve resulted in the creation of non-alcoholic grape juice and ultimately (inadvertently) helped popularize the relatively recently invented peanut butter and jelly sandwich. [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 central Missouri, about hundred miles from St. Louis and right off of Route 66, sits the small town of St. James. Despite this town having only about four thousand people, it is proudly the location for the Tacony Corporation’s vacuum cleaner factory, a giant facility that produces cleaners for 13 different lines and brands, including for Maytag, Riccar, and […]
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Linda P. asks: Why do we always use “x” for everything in math? For hundreds of years, x has been the go-to symbol for the unknown quantity in mathematical equations. So who started this practice? Algebra was born in the Middle East, during the Golden Age of medieval Islamic civilization (750 to 1258 AD), and its early form can be […]
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This Day In History: November 11, 1926 Well if you ever plan to motor west Just take my way that’s the highway that’s the best Get your kicks on Route 66 – Bobby Troupe U.S. Route 66, also known as the Main Street of America, the Mother Road, and the Will Rogers Highway, was officially established on this day in […]
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The Little Albert Experiment was a study conducted back in 1920 by famed psychologist, “the father of behaviorism”, John B. Watson. It essentially involved conditioning a baby, identified only as “Albert. B” to experience fear at the sight of anything fluffy. Putting aside the egregious methodology problems and questionable ethics exhibited during the experiment, the reported results of the study, […]
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This is a video from MinuteEarth created by Henry Reich et al. If you like TodayIFoundOut, odds are you’ll also greatly enjoy their videos. So go check them out and subscribe to their channel here. If you liked this video, you might also enjoy: Bumblebee Flight Does Not Violate the Laws of Physics Why Nuclear Bombs Create Mushroom Clouds Why […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn whether European lords really ever practiced jus primae noctis (aka “First Night”)- sleeping with each of the peasant women on their lands on the women’s wedding nights. You’ll also learn where the first references to something like this occurred, and an interesting, and somewhat surprisingly, “Braveheart” fact. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of […]
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This Day In History: November 10, 1969 “Sesame Street” was built around a single, breakthrough insight: that if you can hold the attention of children, you can educate them.” – author Malcolm Gladwell On November 10, 1969 “Sesame Street”, the ever-popular children’s TV show that has taught millions of kids their letters and numbers, made its debut on public television. […]
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