In this episode, you’re going to learn the truth about the often repeated idea that people have put razor blades in or poisoned Halloween candy. [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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Drew F. asks: Why is there so much mercury in fish? Was this always a problem and we only just now know about it, or is it really a recent thing? Toxic to humans, to cause damage mercury must first get inside our bodies, either when we inhale it, get it into an open wound or eat it. While it […]
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Born into acting, by the age of five Jackie Coogan, Jr. was a veteran stage performer when Charlie Chaplin first spotted him in 1919. Immediately cast in Chaplin’s A Day’s Pleasure, the hard-working Coogan went on to star in The Kid (1919), Daddy (1923), Long Live the King (1923), Tom Sawyer (1930) and Huckleberry Finn (1931). As a child, he […]
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This Day In History: October 30, 1534 The Act of Supremacy, passed by English Parliament on this day in history, 1534, declared King Henry VIII head of the newly minted Church of England, had a lot more to do with politics than it had to do with theology. It also was influenced by Henry’s complicated personal life, which was rendered […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why we call Autumn (or Fall), Winter, Spring, and Summer by those names. [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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The Beatles vs. “The Monkees”… Well, that’s really no contest, is it? Isn’t that rather like comparing Marilyn Monroe to J. Lo? Jim Carrey to Pauly Shore? As we all well know and readily concede- fame-wise, talent-wise, popularity-wise, music-wise, and immortality-wise, it’s no contest. But did you know The Monkees’ records outsold both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones combined […]
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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: The “Pull and Pray” Method Works About as Well as a Condom for Preventing Pregnancy Why […]
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U. Grening asks: What happens to your social security number when you die? Does it get used again? Since 1935, the Social Security Administration has been issuing numbers to permanent residents of the United States. Nine simple digits distinguish each American from his or her fellow residents. Today, assigned randomly and never recycled, a social security number is as unique […]
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This Day In History: October 29, 539 B.C.E. On October 29, 539 B.C.E., Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, entered the city of Babylon and proclaimed himself “King of Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad, King of the four corners of the world.” He came bearing the Cyrus Cylinder, the first Charter of Human Rights, which he placed under the […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why in many regions of the world toilet paper only comes in white, as well as some other interesting facts about this relatively modern product, at least in terms of being used popularly. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by […]
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According to the World Health Organization, about 347 million people worldwide have diabetes. Because diabetes treatments are so common today, it can be easy to forget that the disease can be fatal. In fact, it is approximately the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. Luckily, many people diagnosed with diabetes today enjoy healthy, otherwise normal, lives thanks to advances in […]
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G. Franklin asks: Is it true that only two people in the world know the recipe for coke? The idea that the secret formula for Coca-Cola is only known by two people who are never to be allowed near one another in case of some disaster resulting in the recipe being lost forever is one of those pop culture staples […]
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This Day In History: October 28, 1466 “When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.” – Erasmus Born the illegitimate son of a priest and a physician’s daughter, Desiderius Erasmus entered the world on October 28, 1466 in Rotterdam. He was the most influential and well-known humanist of the […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the story behind Marilyn Monroe’s famous nude calendar and how she managed to overcome the normal stigmas attached to such things in her era. [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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Karla U. asks: I heard your podcast on how teflon was invented. You said it’s the third most slippery substance known to man. This makes me wonder how they get teflon to stick to pans? Saving us from soaking, scraping and scrubbing, Teflon has been a lifesaver (or at least a hand-saver) for home cooks for the last 50 years. […]
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Abi W. asks: Why don’t birds fall off branches when they sleep? Everyone needs sleep, but for many birds, by necessity this has to happen while perched on a branch or other place that must be gripped. Anyone who has ever fallen asleep reading and found her book on the floor knows how difficult it can be to hold onto […]
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This Day In History: October 27, 2004 On October 27, 2004, the day that longtime Boston Red Sox fans always dreamed of finally dawned – their beloved team broke the Curse of the Bambino and won the World Series for the first time since 1918 by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 in a four game sweep. And what an […]
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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. Why We Call Certain Types of Threats “Blackmail”, and The Origin of the Lesser Known “Buttockmail” “Blackmail” has its roots in the early 16th century, first used by English farmers living on the England/Scotland border. It derives from the Middle English word […]
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