This is a video from the very talented Brady Haran who, among other channels, produces phenomenal videos such as this one over at Numberphile, which you can subscribe to here. You can also follow Brady on Twitter here. If you liked this video, you might also enjoy: The Interesting Origins of the Words “Geek” and “Nerd” Why Superheroes Wear Their […]
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This is yet another great article from our friends over at The Medicine Journal Migraines are one of four types of primary headaches, and they come in two forms, those with an aura and those without. The other three primary headaches are tension headaches, cluster headaches and, the catch-all type known as, other primary headaches. These include things like exercise […]
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Candie asks: How is the Pope chosen? When a pope goes to his eternal reward or otherwise retires, there are certain traditions that are dusted off each time to elect his successor. Only the British royal family can rival the Vatican when it comes to (seemingly) ancient and elaborate rituals, so you know it’s going to be a big production. […]
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This Day In History: June 3, 1937 June 3, 1937 was the day that the British Royal family had desperately hoped would never come. For it was on that day that the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, took Wallis Warfield Simpson as his wife during a private civil ceremony in France. Prince Edward, or David as the Duke […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about a remarkable nineteenth century woman, Nellie Bly, and her undercover adventure in an insane asylum. [TRANSCRIPT] You can read more about Nellie Bly’s adventures in her own words: The Complete Works of Nellie Bly: Ten Days in a Mad-House, Around the World in Seventy-Two Days, The Mystery of Central Park, and Six […]
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K. Jones asks: Where does the symbol “Rx” come from? The phenomenon of ubiquitous prescription drugs (retail sales in recent years have topped $200 billion in the U.S. alone) is a relatively new experience in human history. However, its common abbreviation, ℞, has deep roots in the relatively distant (and some even claim ancient) past. Recipe for Wellness While there […]
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Kaiden asks: What causes the dark circles under my eyes when I’m tired? It is often claimed that periorbital dark circles are caused by tiredness or working too hard or even just staying up late. While this can be true, the truth is that your genes play a huge role here. So what exactly is happening when you get dark […]
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Today in History: June 2, 455 Rome was already taking its last breaths when the Vandals came to town on June 2, 455 C.E. and began the sacking of the dying city, something the Vandals proved to be very good at across the Western Empire: crush floundering cities and kingdoms into complete oblivion. And under Gaiseric’s very capable rule, they […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why your eyes water when you’re cutting onions. [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 weekend why episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn about the evolution of the word “gay” and how it came to be applied to people who are homosexual. 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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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. What Causes the Smell After Rain There are three primary sources of smells that commonly occur after rain. The first, the “clean” smell, in particular after a heavy thunderstorm, is caused by ozone. Ozone (scientifically known as trioxygen due to the fact […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about how a Leonardo DiCaprio haircut managed to infuriate the Taliban. [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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Rodney asks: What’s the difference between black, white, and red pepper? Do they all come from the same plant? Although black pepper is the most popular spice in the world, it is by no means the only pepper in the peck. Black, White and Green Pepper Piper nigrum Grown throughout Southern India and Sri Lanka, the vine Piper nigrum is […]
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Since ancient times, the fusion of man and wolf has been the stuff of legend and folklore (“wer” was the word for “man” in old English, with “man” being completely gender neutral). Virtually every culture across the globe has its own werewolf mythology, with this beastly shape-shifter being one of the oldest monsters to terrorize humans. Werewolf legends span so […]
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Today in History: May 30, 1593 The Bad Boy of Elizabethan England, playwright Christopher Marlowe, was stabbed in a tavern and died on this day in 1593. The story goes that Marlowe was killed in an altercation involving a bar tab, but extenuating circumstances would suggest that other factors may have been involved in the writer’s untimely demise at age […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn who the man was that was shot and killed in the famous “Saigon Execution” photo, how the photo was misrepresented in the media, and why he was killed. [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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Hammurabi was the oldest son of Sin-Muballit, and he became the sixth king of Babylon upon his father’s abdication around 1729 BC (based on the short chronology timeline). Even though he didn’t inherit much power from his father and at the time he controlled only a small part of Babylonia, the city of Sippar, he later became the first king of […]
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The Statue of Freedom sitting atop the dome of the U.S. Capitol building in Washing D.C. has more alternate names than the obscure half of the Wu Tang Clan. Over the years, the names attributed to it have ranged from things like “Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace” to the far simpler, “Armed Freedom“. However, the one, common thread is […]
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