On March 12, 1928 at approximately 11:57 pm, the St. Francis Dam broke. 12.4 billion gallons of water that was supposed to fill the sinks, bathtubs, and mouths of Los Angeles residents was now surging down the San Francisquito Canyon. At 11:58 pm, the power lines surrounding the dam snapped and powerhouse number two was destroyed, darkening the surrounding towns […]
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Jeremy asks: Why do we drop the ball on New Year’s eve in Times Square? When Adolph Ochs purchased the floundering New York Times in 1896, he made it his mission to make the newspaper the number one paper in all of New York. He started by forming the New York Times Company and made himself the majority owner, ensuring […]
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Today in History: December 12, 1408 The medieval chivalric Order of the Dragon was founded on this day by Sigismund, King of Hungary (who later became Holy Roman Emperor,) and his queen Barbara of Celje. It was similar to other military orders of the time, such as the Order of St. George, that was a distinction granted to those defending […]
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Preston asks: Why are rabbits paws lucky? Raccoon penis bones. Vulture heads. Lucky pennies. A vast and eclectic array of amulets, talismans, and charms meant to bring good fortune to their owners have been put to use as long as humans have walked the planet. To the ancient Egyptians, images of the scarab beetle helped ward off evil. The Romans […]
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Carmen asks: Does stormy weather really cause people’s joints to ache? You might have heard grandma or grandpa predicting a storm because they “could feel it in their bones” and when a storm hit you probably thought they’d been watching the weather channel. Turns out, their joints *probably* do get a little achy when it’s about to rain. “Weather pain” […]
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Centuries in the making, Modern French owes its existence to a strange combination of conquest, evolution, authoritarian control and revolution. Linguistic Ancestors Long before it was France, Gaul (as it was known to the Romans) was occupied by a variety of Celtic tribes. After Julius Caesar conquered it in the 1st century BC (veni, vidi, vici), native Celtic tongues were […]
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Today in History: December 11, 1964 In 1964, Sam Cooke was a rising star in the music world. With hits including “You Send Me” and “Cupid,” Sam was teetering on the brink of superstardom. He had a distinctively smooth, soulful sound that appealed to a wide audience. Then, quite suddenly, on this day in history, 1964, he was killed. So […]
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Today I found out the origin of the word “handicap.” You might have heard that the word originated from disabled veterans in England during King Henry VII’s reign (15th-16th century). Unable to make a living for themselves after war, they were forced to take to the streets with their “cap in hand,” begging for coins. King Henry VII made it […]
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As Francis Scott Key sat aboard a ship, now officially a prisoner of war, he could only watch as the British bombarded American forces at Fort McHenry. He had been sent to the British ship HMS Tonnant, along with John Stuart Skinner, by President James Madison himself to negotiate the release of prisoners of war. After dining with British officers, […]
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I’m extremely excited to announce that after a little over eight solid months of work, Today I Found Out‘s first book is now out: The Wise Book of Whys featuring over 100 different topics such as Why New York is Called “The Big Apple” and Why We Sing “Auld Lang Syne” on New Year’s Eve, along with many an interesting […]
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Today in History: December 10, 1936 On this day in 1936, King Edward VIII became the first British monarch to voluntarily give up the throne. Even more shocking to his subjects, government and family was His Majesty’s reason for doing so – a twice-divorced American woman named Wallis Warfield Simpson. Prince Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David was the […]
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If you’ve ever sat around thinking, “What if Superman was a communist?” (Who hasn’t, right?) Well, wonder no more. The answer was masterfully provided in Superman: Red Son written by famed comic book writer and member of the “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, Mark Millar. The specific comic book in question was a mini-series (3 issues) published by […]
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The final resting place of presidents, bandleaders, war heroes, astronauts, inventors, civil rights leaders, Pulitzer Prize winners, boxers, Supreme Court justices and sports stars, Arlington National Cemetery stands as a memorial to the melting pot of the United States. With connections to some of our nation’s most influential people and pivotal events, its history is as interesting as its denizens. […]
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Today in History December 9, 1965 One of the most beloved Christmas specials of all time, A Charlie Brown Christmas, debuted on this day in history, 1965. The story begins with a short documentary by producer Lee Mendelson about Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, entitled “A Boy Named Charlie Brown.” The 1963 film featured live, animated Peanuts characters by Bill Melendez, […]
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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. The Exploding Anti-Tank Dogs of WWII These dogs, usually Alsatians, were also called “Hundminen” or “dog mines.” They were trained to carry explosives on their bodies to enemy tanks, where they would then be detonated. No, it did not end very well […]
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When it comes to science, we think there’s a saying that is fairly applicable, “who dares, wins”. Fans of military history may recognise that as the motto of the Special Air Services (SAS). However, we feel scientists and researchers deserve to use it just as much, because sometimes they take risks too. Just ask Barry J. Marshall if you don’t […]
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Before the terms “Tiger Mom” or “Helicopter Mom” entered our vernacular. Before the moms on “Toddlers and Tiaras” tried to turn their daughters into beauty queens. Before Earl Woods showed off his two year old son Tiger’s golf skills on the Mike Douglas Show. Before Lindsay Lohan’s dad, the mother in Psycho, and every other overbearing parent we know from […]
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Today in History: December 6, 1921 At the start of the 20th century, Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom, as it had been since the 12th century. And as long as Ireland had been part of the UK, there had always been voices calling for Ireland’s independence. The Anglo-minority in Ireland acted as absentee landlords to the Catholic […]
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