Ranjiith asks: Why do we say something is as dead as a doornail? In A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens wrote about the questionable phrase, “dead as a doornail,” saying: Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail. Mind! I don’t mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might […]
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Have you ever said something that you ended up immediately regretting or wanted to take back straight away? Well, unless your words cost someone nearly a billion dollars, then you haven’t messed up quite as bad as Gerald Ratner did back in 1991. Yet. Ratner was the CEO of the Ratners Group, jewellers that shook up the usually stiff and inflexible […]
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Today in History: April 30, 711 On April 30, 711, the Islamic occupation of the Iberian Peninsula commenced, ending the rule of the Visigoths after three hundred years of domination in the region. Since its inception in the 7th century, Islam had expanded rapidly, and by 711 Muslims had conquered much of North Africa. Moving northward to the Mediterranean made […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why we call certain things “the big cheese” as well as the scientific reason golf balls have dimples. In the Bonus Facts, you’re also going to learn the origin of several other food related phrases like cakewalk and “egg someone on,” which interesting enough has nothing to do with eggs. [TRANSCRIPT Big Cheese […]
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In 1980 America, the Cold War was still very much hot, Ronald Reagan was elected President, and the United States’ Olympic hockey team shockingly upset the USSR in what would be dubbed “The Miracle on Ice.” Oh, and the new president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, was given a key to the city of Detroit. How did this come to pass? […]
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Joel asks: Why do humans cry? Anti-bacterial, nutrient-rich, usually involuntary and often stress relieving, crying benefits more than just our eyes. Physiology of Tears Tears are a product of the lacrimal system, which: Has secretory and excretory functions that produce tears and drain them. The main lacrimal gland, located between a shallow depression in the frontal bone and the eyeball, […]
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Today I found out about the origin of the King James Bible. Back in 1603, Queen Elizabeth I passed away. She had ruled England for 45 years, was well-loved, and provided a sense of stability and security during her reign. Described as “neither a good protestant nor yet resolute papist,” she was able to provide a relatively happy medium between […]
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This Day In History: April 29, 1968 When “Hair” made its Broadway premiere on April 29, 1968, (a date picked for its astrologically auspicious alignments), the United States was in the midst of cultural, social and political upheaval of mind-blowing proportions. It was an era of undeniable violence – the Vietnam War raged on, Martin Luther King had just been […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the truth about whether alcohol actually warms your body and the role it can play in hypothermia, which is quite contrary to popular belief. [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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701) Love that “new car smell”? You may be smelling beaver butt secretions, which you’ve also probably at one point or another eaten. Secretions from beavers’ castor sacks located next to their anal glands have a musky/vanilla scent. This substance, called castoreum, is commonly used in various perfumes, in some cases used to create the “new car smell,” and used […]
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On June 11, 1982, E.T. entered Elliot’s tool shed and into the hearts of humans across the world. Roger Ebert famously said the Steven Spielberg-directed film was “not simply a good movie. It is one of those movies that brush away our cautions and win our hearts.” President Reagan and First Lady Nancy screened the movie at the White House […]
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Eleven thousand years ago, one saucy canine got busy and, as can happen with unprotected sex, gave its partner a venereal disease, although uniquely, this VD was cancerous. Over the course of the intervening millennia, that second dog, its partners, and its partners’ partners, all did what dogs eventually do, each spreading the disease, which has continued to retain some […]
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Today in History: April 28 , 1967 On April 28, 1967, Muhammad Ali, the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, refused to be inducted into the armed services after receiving his draft notice. He was charged with draft evasion and faced prison if convicted. Ali, who was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. on January 14, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, claimed exception from […]
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In this weekend why episode, you’re going to learn why crackers have holes, and it turns out there is a really good reason. 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 Whys episode, you’re going to learn how Ferris Wheels came about and why they are called that. [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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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. Was Colonel Sanders Actually a Colonel? Kentucky Colonel is the highest honor that can be bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. (Incidentally, if you’re curious: Why Colonel is Pronounced “Kernel”) To be named a “Colonel” is to be recognized for “outstanding service […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn what causes a hangover, why asparagus makes your pee smell, and methods for preventing a hangover. [TRANSCRIPT] This episode is brought to you by NatureBox, a subscription service for nutritious snacks, with new snacks introduced every month made from wholesome ingredients. NatureBox is currently extending a special discount for all our podcast listeners […]
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Today I found out the origins of the words “kitty-corner,” “catawampus,” and other “cat” words. The word “kitty-corner” has many different variations: catty-corner, caddy-corner, cat-a-corner, or kit-a-corner. They all mean the same thing: something that is directionally diagonal from a certain point. Interestingly, despite all of the “cats” and “kits,” the word has nothing to do with domesticated felines. Rather, […]
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