This Day In History July 3, 1971 While most everyone else was singing about incense and peppermints and feeling groovy in the 1960s, there was one group that dared to explore the darker side of the human experience. Their leader – though he would bristle at being called such – was a poet, a clown, a genius, a drunk, and […]
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In this episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn whether there is any truth to the idea that Albert Einstein failed at mathematics as a child. You’re also going to learn a bunch of other very interesting Albert Einstein facts. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes […]
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Jon asks: Why are books called that? “A portable volume consisting of a series of written, printed, or illustrated pages bound together,” the word for book (or variously booke, bokis, boke and boc) has been around for as long as the English language. Early Origins According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED),[1] the Old English word boc was cognate with […]
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When you consider their size and how much they have to keep under wraps, African elephants have surprisingly thin skin, relatively speaking. Holding Everything In Across most of their bodies, an African elephant’s skin is only somewhere between 2 and 4 cm or .78 to 1.6 inches thick on average. All of this relatively thin skin holds in a whole […]
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This Day In History: July 2, 1937 Legendary pilot Amelia Earhart (also known as “Lady Lindy,”) thrilled the aviation-crazy public of the ‘20s and ‘30s with her ground breaking accomplishments. She was the first woman to fly over the Atlantic Ocean in 1928 (as a passenger, but went on to do the trip solo as well), and became the first […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn how and when the idea that Friday the 13th is a cursed day came about. You’re also going to learn about a Dutch study that shows, in fact, for some reason it’s the opposite. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes […]
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Kayla R. asks: What are hot dogs made of really? I was also wondering how they are made? Thanks! After the steaks, chops, breasts, ribs, thighs, hams, tenderloins and briskets are removed, there’s a fair amount of gristle, fat and offal remaining on a butchered animal, and early on, people realized this could be put to good use. One of […]
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Marcus L. asks: How many people walked on the moon? Who were they? Forty-five years ago this month, a human being first set foot on the moon. Despite four and a half decades and amazing leaps in technology, to date only 11 other people have done this – and every one flew in an Apollo mission for the National Aeronautics […]
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Neil asks: Why do we call some alcoholic drinks cocktails? Typically some type of hard liquor mixed with any of a variety of ingredients, although the idea of the cocktail is likely as old as the hills, its name is a relatively recent invention. Early Use There is debate about when the term was first used. According the The London […]
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This Day In History: July 1, 1874 On July 1, 1874, a little four-year-old boy from Germantown, PA had the tragic distinction of being the first known kidnapping victim held for ransom in United States history. Two strange men coaxed him and his eight-year-old brother into their wagon with promises of candy. (This is thought by some etymologists to be […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about Phineas Gage, a man who remarkably survived a bizarre accident in which a large tamping iron shot through his head, ultimately demonstrating a clear link between the brain and personality. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by going here: […]
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Damien asks: Is Double Jeopardy a true thing or is it just a TV/movie invention? Although generally in Australia, Canada, England and Wales, Scotland, the U.S. and New Zealand you cannot be subjected to a second trial after a first has been completed, there are exceptions. What is Double Jeopardy? Generally speaking, double jeopardy prohibits a second trial where a […]
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Austin asks: Why are continental breakfasts called that? Many hotels offer guests a free breakfast consisting of muffin, coffee, cereal and milk, toast, juice, bagel, and, at some, even scrambled eggs and make-your-own waffles. Born in the Gilded Age, today’s continental breakfasts reflect the West’s transition from a mostly agrarian culture to an industrial (and today, service) society. Luckily, however, […]
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This Day In History: June 30, 1934 “If anyone reproaches me and asks why I did not resort to the regular courts of justice, then all I can say is this: In this hour I was responsible for the fate of the German people, and thereby I became the supreme judge of the German people.” -Adolf Hitler, July 13, 1934 […]
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In this Weekend Why episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn why it is that we have an eight hour workday today and in the Bonus Fact the astounding average number of hours per week people worked before. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by going […]
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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. How Honey Bees Keep Their Hives Warm Given That They are Cold Blooded Up until only a few years ago, it was thought by many scientists that Honey bee hives were kept warm by pupae in the brood and that the bees […]
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In this weekend why episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn why a dollar is also called a “buck.” You’re also going to learn where the expression “pass the buck” came from. [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 this episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn about the invention of the Cotton Candy machine and the two dentists who independently made widely available cotton candy possible. [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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