Dung beetles have long surprised scientists with their remarkable navigation abilities, despite the relatively small sizes of their brains. Scientists have also known that after dung beetles collect the dung, they do a little dance on top of it before moving it in a straight line to their destination. The dancing was once written off as a “happy dance,” but […]
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Today in History: May 14, 1938 On May 14, 1938, which happened to be Mother’s Day, a 5-year-old girl named Lina Medina became the youngest female in known human history to give birth. When most girls her age were playing with dolls, Lina was delivering a healthy six pound baby boy by caesarean section. Lina’s parents had sought medical attention […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the surprising origin of the monopoly player pieces and how they came to be introduced. We’d also like to ask that you click here and fill out a quick, anonymous survey related to our podcast. In doing so, you’ll be entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card in an ongoing monthly raffle. Thanks! […]
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Aluminium is literally one of the most common elements on Earth. So how did it come to be that aluminium cost more than gold? Was it similar to how the relatively common and easily acquired mined diamond came to be seen as valuable in the last century due to strict control of supply to consumers and some of the best marketing […]
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In the 4th century B.C., for a period of 50 years a small force of 300 elite Theban soldiers dominated Grecian battlefields. What makes this band of brothers unique in history is that it was comprised entirely of male lovers. The Elephant in the Room – Pederasty in Ancient Greece The classical Greeks tolerated a wide range of sexual appetites. […]
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Today in History: May 13, 1787 On May 13, 1787, a fleet of 11 ships under the command of Admiral Arthur Philip set sail from Portsmouth, England bound for Botany Bay, Australia. The passengers were convicts being sent to the far-flung corner of the empire to colonize it, and – hopefully – for rehabilitation under the governance of Admiral Philip. […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the amazing story of a woman who could not taste, smell, see, or hear, but became the first deaf-blind person to become fully educated and even went on to become a teacher herself. [TRANSCRIPT] We’d also like to ask that you click here and fill out a quick, anonymous survey related to our […]
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Kyle asks: Why do we get old? Gray hair, memory loss, wrinkles and brittle bones, sooner or later, each of us gets old (if we’re lucky). Yet scientists tell us that there is no evolutionary reason for us to age. So, why do we? The Aging Process Researchers do not agree as to the causes of aging. Some claim our […]
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Ezekiel Proctor was a 19th century Cherokee man who had walked the Trail of Tears from Georgia to the Indian Territory when he was just seven years old. He was proud of his heritage, and he still spoke the language and basked in the customs of the Cherokee people. When he grew up, he became a lawman. Jim Keterson was […]
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WWII saw the development of some zany designs for weapons, such as when the U.S. developed pigeon guided missiles and (literal) bat bombs (the latter of which were a little too effective, accidentally destroying the testing base when they escaped), or when the Soviets trained exploding anti-tank dogs. Not to be left out of the fun, the Japanese developed their own oddball […]
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Today in History: May 12, 1932 The remains of little Charles Lindbergh Jr., son of pioneering aviator hero Charles Lindbergh and writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh, were discovered on May 12, 1932, over two months after the toddler had been snatched from his family’s mansion in Hopewell, N.J. On the night of March 1, 1932, baby Charlie’s nurse went to check […]
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In this Weekend Why episode, you’re going to learn why certain American Football games are called “bowls.” [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 why breathing helium makes your voice sound higher than normal. 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. That Time 26-Year-Old Edgar Allan Poe Married His 13-Year-Old Cousin As if his stories weren’t occasionally disturbing enough, it turns out Edgar Allan Poe’s love life was more than a little creepy as well. Poe met his bride-to-be, Virginia Clemm, when she […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the fascinating origin of the curious phrase “Pleased as Punch,” and just how it is that “Punch” can be pleased. [TRANSCRIPT] We’d also like to ask that you click here and fill out a quick, anonymous survey related to our podcast. In doing so, you’ll be entered to win a $100 Amazon gift […]
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(Image credit: NASA/ESA) Image via Featureflash / Shutterstock.com 721: The “Hercules beetle” lives in the rainforests of Central and South America and is known for being able to lift more than 850 times its own weight, or about 8 kilograms (17.6 lbs). Pound for pound, this makes it one of the strongest animals on the planet. For reference, if a […]
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On May 16, 1960, Theodore Maiman shined a high-powered light at a ruby partially coated with silver and the result was the world’s first laser. This groundbreaking device, however, was not created by a single genius in isolation. Rather, it was the result of many brilliant minds sharing ideas . . . at least until it was time to divvy […]
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Kansas had been swept up in the debate over whether or not it should allow slavery for some time. When it was finally decided that Kansas would be a free state, the South was sore. There were many clashes at the border between northern and southern states during the Civil War, and Lawrence was almost always ready to defend its […]
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