1. Where the term Volcano came from: The word “volcano” was derived from the Italian word “vulcano” from the Latin “vulcanus” meaning “burning mountain”. In ancient Roman mythology, the God of fire/ flames (referred to as the blacksmith of the gods) went by the name “Vulcan”, the etymology for which is still debated, but is believed to be related to […]
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Byron H. asks: What causes dandruff? Ah, dandruff! That white flaky stuff we see on the shoulders of homeless people everywhere. We’ve all seen that guy in front of us at the supermarket who looks like he just came out of a snow storm. Ever wonder what causes this embarrassing blemish on our hygiene? Dandruff is simply dead skin cells […]
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Have you ever looked at the shiny dome of your grandfather and wondered, “Should I start stocking up on head wax soon?” Statistically at age 30 you will have a 30% chance of going bald. This increases by 10% every 10 years. So someone 50 years old will have a 50% chance of being bald. Due to the genetic factors […]
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All three animals come under the class of reptiles, in the taxonomic order of Testudines or Chelonia (which comes from the Greek word ‘kelone’, meaning interlocking shields or armor). They all have the major characteristics of reptiles as they are cold-blooded (eco-therms), have scales, breathe air, and lay eggs on land. The distinction between them comes mainly from what living habitat […]
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This is a guest post by List25.com for more interesting lists, subscribe to their newsletter here. 1) In 2002, the BBC aired a report about German scientists who discovered that blond hair would be extinct in the next couple centuries due to being a recessive trait. Barely a year later, the New York Times published a report about how the […]
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Aaron asks: Why don’t fingernails grow at the same rate? The short answer is that there is no 100% definitive known reason as to why nails grow at different rates. However, there is a really good theory (which also covers why fingernails and toenails grow at drastically different rates) that is backed up by an awful lot of ancillary evidence. […]
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This Day In History: January 24, 1848 On this day in history, 1848, James W. Marshall was checking on the progress made the night before in expanding a drainage channel at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California (which at the time was part of the Mexican territory, but just 9 days later would be ceded to the U.S.). Marshall was using […]
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Mushyrulez asks: What’s the difference between Kosher salt and table salt? In truth, not much. The primary ingredient to both, not surprisingly, is sodium chloride. In fact, the U.S. government requires that any food-grade salt be a minimum of 97.5% pure, so any type of salt you consume in the U.S. (and most developed countries) is going to be almost […]
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It was 1949, then as now, countless thousands of young actresses in Hollywood were unemployed. Many give up the struggle. Others take a wrong turn and make decisions they will later regret. A certain unknown, very small, percentage persevere. That songbird they are all chasing, called “success”, inevitably proves elusive. But this article isn’t about the countless scores of would […]
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Tristan asks: Does Mountain Dew kill sperm? Tristan- If you’re thinking that a 3 pack of condoms costs around $5 and Mountain Dew is only $1.99 for the 2-liter, so why not save yourself $3 on your contraception, think again! Pay the extra money! Mountain Dew does not kill your sperm, lower sperm count, make your penis smaller, or shrivel […]
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This is a guest post by Adam Kutner. (more on Adam at the bottom) Today I found out about a shocking weather incident that happened in London not very long ago. In December of 1952, the city of London experienced a 5-day bout of “fog” that killed at least 4,000 people and made an estimated 100,000 sick. Fog? Isn’t that […]
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Embed This Infographic [Source: Today I Found Out] For more Language Facts see: 10 Common Word & Pronunciation Mistakes 10 Interesting Word & Phrase Facts 10 More Interesting Words & Phrases Facts The Origins of 10 Words & Phrases
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James asks: I always see the meme “it’s never lupus”, but what exactly is lupus? Lupus, Latin for “wolf”, is a chronic (long term) autoimmune disease. Meaning the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue instead of harmful bacteria, viruses, or other harmful organisms. Tracing back to the 14th century, lupus and cancer were both common names for an ulcerous […]
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1) His name was originally Michael, not Martin. His father was also Michael King, hence why Martin Luther King Jr. was originally named Michael King Jr. However, after a trip to Germany in 1931, Michael King Sr. changed his own name in homage to historic German theologian Martin Luther. Michael King Jr. was two years old at the time and […]
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Just a quick plug for one of the authors here at Today I Found Out, Samantha. She has published her first book, A Game Worth Watching, which is only $3.99 and is also available via Amazon Kindle’s lending library. My wife has now read the book (the book being geared more towards people of the female persuasion ;-)) and tells […]
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1. Along with orbiting around the Sun at 66,600 mph, the Earth is also rotating at its axis at about 1,070 miles per hour. So you are simultaneously hurtling around the Sun at 66,600 mph while sitting on a rock that is spinning at 1,070 mph. On top of that, our whole solar system is rocketing through space around the […]
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Gina asks: What exactly is the doctor looking for when she takes a pap smear? If you’re a woman, the term “Pap smear” probably makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The very thought of putting the appointment on your calendar makes little beads of sweat begin to form on your forehead. Similar to getting a […]
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The man was Adam Rainer born in Graz, Austria sometime in 1899 (the exact date isn’t known). Rainer’s parents were neither tall nor short for the time, with his father measuring in at 5 feet 8 inches (1.72 m) and his mother at 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m). He even had a brother who matched his father’s height at […]
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