Today in History: April 16, 1178 BCE King Odysseus began to make his way home when the Trojan War ended after serving ten years as one of the most distinguished leaders of the Greek Army. Along the way, he had to deal with perils such as the Cyclopes, the Sirens and Scylla and Charybdis. These dangerous distractions added another decade […]
Read more
In this episode, you’re going to learn just what is the difference between fruits and vegetables, along with some interesting fruits and vegetables bonus facts at the end. [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
Read more
Goro T asks: Why do the insides of apples turn brown when you cut the apple open? The insides of apples turn brown when exposed to air thanks to a built in defense mechanism against bacteria and fungus. The trigger for this is damage to the cells, such as when you cut the apple, which then results in certain enzymes […]
Read more
Our resident medical expert, Scott, and a buddy of his recently started The Medicine Journal, where you can learn all sorts of interesting facts about all things medical related. Below is a sample article from their site. Much like bathroom-humor at the dinner table, hemorrhoids can be a taboo subject. The truth is, everyone has them. Their job is to […]
Read more
lev radin / Shutterstock.com Featureflash / Shutterstock.com Image via @SirPatStew 1. According to the Florentine Codex, among other sources, it is believed that the Ancient Aztecs were clean freaks, particularly compared to Europeans at the time. The Aztecs would bathe regularly (sometimes even twice per day, according to conquistador Andres de Tapia who claimed Montezuma did this), used deodorants, soap […]
Read more
Today in History: April 15, 1776 On April 15, 1776, The Duchess of Kingston was brought to trial to face charges of bigamy in Westminster Hall. This scandalous display of aristocratic bad behavior – involving even the King himself – kept London buzzing for months on end. The reason the story was so compelling? The witty and charismatic lady at […]
Read more
Andrew M. asks: What causes Saint Elmo’s Fire? For those not familiar, “St. Elmo’s Fire” is a name for the glow that looks like blue/violet fire surrounding the top of pointed metal objects during a storm. This phenomenon can trace its name back to an Italian saint “Sant ‘Ermo” or “St. Erasmus” around 300 A.D., the patron saint of early […]
Read more
Mike A. asks: What is the difference between bees, wasps, and hornets? There are many similarities and differences between our little wing-whipping friends. For starters, all can sting you. That said, you may derive some solace in the fact that when certain of them sting humans, they die- not so when they sting many other animals. The barbed stingers on […]
Read more
In 1746 in Taunton, Somerset, England, Mary Hamilton was imprisoned and whipped for impersonating a man and marrying possibly as many as 14 women (not all at once). Few records of these events have survived; however, that same year Henry Fielding, “barrister, magistrate, founder of the first English detective force, and sometimes called father of the modern novel,” produced a […]
Read more
In this episode, you’re going to learn how hot dogs got their name- and note, it has nothing to do with anything that happened at a baseball game, contrary to popular belief. You’re also going to learn why certain carbonated beverages are called “soft drinks.” [TRANSCRIPT: Hot Dogs | Soft Drinks] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: […]
Read more
Today in History: April 14, 966 The Christianization of Poland was a shrewd political choice by Mieszko I, the first ruler of Poland, to ally his country with the Czechs who had also embraced Christianity, rather than the Germans who still practiced Paganism. Uniting the Polish people under a common faith was also a way to strengthen the country and […]
Read more
In this “Weekend Why” episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn why America is called that. 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
Read more
In this “Weekend Why” episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn why eating beans may cause you to have gas. [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
Read more
This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. Can Color Blind People See More Colors When They Take Hallucinogenic Drugs? First a little primer on colour blindness from the good people at ColorBlindAwareness.org: “Most color blind people are able to see things as clearly as other people but they unable […]
Read more
In this episode, you’re going to learn whether Vikings really did wear elaborate head gear, as well as why during medieval times in certain parts of Europe bathing was fairly uncommon. [TRANSCRIPT: Vikings | Medieval Bathing] 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 […]
Read more
Calie asks: Why is chickenpox called chickenpox? The name, “Chicken Pox” is vernacular for the Varicella Zoster Virus. While it has a name that evokes cuteness and is even silly, it is a disease that can, though rarely, claim the life of a child. Prior to the May 1995 introduction of the Varicella vaccine, over four million people would suffer […]
Read more
Today I found out the origins of the names of the historic counties of Wales and Northern Ireland. WALES Anglesey Anglesey is believed to be a Viking place name. The Vikings denoted islands with the suffix “ey.” The best bet is that Anglesey started out as “Ongl’s Ey,” but no one knows who Ongl might have been. Brecknockshire Brecknockshire, as […]
Read more
Shawn asks: Do cow farts really significantly contribute to global warming? There are currently approximately 1.3 to 1.5 billion cows grazing, sleeping, and chewing their cud at any given time on planet Earth. And these 1,300 pound (average weight for both a beef and dairy cow) animals eat a lot. Much like humans, when they eat, gas builds up inside […]
Read more