This Day In History: October 16, 1854 The world became a more colorful and interesting place on October 16, 1854 when Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland. (Later in life he dropped “Fingal O’Flahertie Wills”, explaining his name was far too long for a person who would be as famous as he.) During his childhood, Oscar […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn how the calendar evolved from its earliest forms to today. [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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“I reckon ‘Yesterday’ is probably my best song. I like it not only because it was a big success, but because it was one of the most instinctive songs I’ve ever written. I was so proud of it. I felt it was an original tune- the most complete thing I’ve ever written. It’s very catchy without being sickly”- Paul McCartney. […]
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801) Nick Offerman, better known as Ron Swanson from the Parks and Recreation TV series, is a professional boat builder and has a side business as a wood craftsman. In 2008, he even released an instructional DVD- “Fine Woodstrip Canoe Building with Nick Offerman,” offering instructions on how to make your own canoe. He stated in an interview with Wood […]
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This Day In History: October 15, 1888 During the autumn of 1888, a murderer was creeping through the streets and alleyways of London’s East End. His victims were invariably alcoholic prostitutes. He slit their throats prior to mutilating their bodies, and in at least three cases removed several of their internal organs. As the murders stacked up, the similarities between […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the accidental invention of the third slipperiest substances known to man, and the only known substance a gecko’s feet cannot stick to, Teflon. [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 had more number one hit records than anyone in the history of music. Elvis, Frank Sinatra, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Madonna, the Supremes and every other music legend takes a backseat to the Fab Four. From 1962 to 1970, the Beatles had 20 official #1 records. 19 of the Beatles 20 #1’s were written by the greatest […]
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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: Why We Call the Seasons Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring Why Leaves Change Color in the […]
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John E. asks: Who invented the T-shirt? The t-shirt is arguably the most popular outer garment in the entire world. Coming in a range of styles, colors and sizes there is quite literally a t-shirt for everyone. But where did this iconic garment come from and how did it become so popular? Relatively speaking, the t-shirt is a fairly new […]
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This Day In History: October 14, 1975 Nearly a year after the murder of his parents and four siblings, Ronald “Butch” DeFeo Jr.’s trial began on October 14, 1975. The family home reportedly became haunted after the tragedy and was the inspiration for the book The Amityville Horror and the movie of the same name. It all began on the […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn who invented the device that made skyscrapers possible, the elevator, and how in its early days it was a virtual death trap. [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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M. Seager asks: Why do Americans write dates Month/Day/Year and most others Day/Month/Year? In the United States, the date format begins with the month and ends with the year (MM/DD/YYYY), and this arrangement is relatively unique. In most of the rest of the world, the day is written first and the year last (DD/MM/YYYY), although in some places like China, […]
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Mark R. asks: Was there a real “McDonald” that started McDonald’s or is it like the fictitious Betty Crocker? McDonald’s is, without question, the most successful, popular, and influential fast-food restaurant chain in recorded history. The name most commonly associated with McDonald’s is Ray Kroc. Kroc was the entrepreneur who founded the McDonald’s corporation. So how did it come to […]
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This Day In History: October 13, 1792 Way back on October 13, 1792, when George Washington was serving his first term as president, the first issue of what is today known as The Old Farmer’s Almanac went on sale for the asking price of six pence (nine cents). It was a big hit, tripling its circulation from 3,000 to 9,000 […]
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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. Why Do Men Snore More Than Women? When humans sleep, the muscles around our throats relax and cause the airways to narrow. Snoring occurs when certain soft tissues—such as the soft palate (or roof of the mouth), the uvula (the dangling piece […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the pope who wrote a wildly popular romance novel before ascending to the papacy. [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 Egyptians built massive pyramids, and the Babylonians instituted the first known written system of laws. The Chinese began a fortified wall that eventually spanned (depending on whom you ask) as much as 13,000 miles, and the people of the Indus Valley? Well, they had an excellent sanitation system. Apparently peaceful, well organized, clean and with a high standard of […]
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Jeans are easily one of the most ubiquitous pieces of clothing on Earth with millions of pairs being made, sold and wrapped around the butts of style conscious individuals every single day. But why are jeans so popular and for what purpose were they first made? Before we answer that it’s important for us to first define exactly what we […]
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