8 Animal Myths Dispelled
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January 5th: Alexandre Dumas Fights in His First Duel, During Which His Pants Fall Down
This Day In History: January 5, 1825 On this day in history, 1825, on a bitter cold day, a young Alexandre Dumas, soon to be famed playwright and novelist and current son of Thomas-Alaxandre who was once one of Napoleon’s generals, fights in his first duel. During the duel, Dumas successfully defeated his opponent almost immediately, but, according to his […]
Read moreTwo Men Murdered 15 People Over the Course of a Year in Order to Sell the Bodies as Cadavers for College Students to Dissect
Today I found out about William Burke and William Hare: two men who murdered 15 people (though sold 16 bodies overall) over the course of a year to make extra money, selling the bodies as cadavers for university students to dissect. These murders took place starting in November of 1827 to October of 1828. At the time, it was very […]
Read moreJanuary 4th: Fender Guitar Company, Which Was Started By an Out of Work Accountant Who Never Learned to Play the Guitar, was Sold to CBS for $13 Million
This Day In History: January 4, 1965 On this day in history, 1965, CBS purchased the Fender Guitar Company for $13 million from Leo Fender. For reference, this would be around $90 million today. This was also close to $2 million more than CBS paid for the New York Yankees just two years before. After CBS continually reduced the quality […]
Read moreWhat the Largest Body Parts On Record Are
Today I found out who has had the largest human body parts. (the G rated version) Have you ever been walking down the road and you see the human Dumbo, mixed with a Pinocchio, and wondered who might have the biggest nose/hair/ears/hands/etc.? Well wonder no more! The tallest living person is Sultan Kosen from Ankara, Turkey. Born in December of […]
Read moreTootsie Roll Industries Never Gave Away a Prize if the Wrapper of a Tootsie Pop Had a Native American Boy Shooting a Star
Myth: Tootsie Roll Industries used to give away prizes if the wrapper of a tootsie roll pop had a Native American boy shooting a star. Children all over the world have whipped wrappers off of the beloved Tootsie Pop lollipop searching for an Indian boy shooting a star in hopes of obtaining a free Tootsie Pop. Turns out, even though […]
Read moreTop Today I Found Out Posts of 2011
Today I found out was started two years ago on January 1st, 2010. The first year the site was viewed by over four million people worldwide with the best month of the year coming in December, receiving over 1.3 million page views from over 800,000 visitors. At that point, there were about 270 articles on Today I Found Out. This […]
Read moreWhat Causes Strokes
Today I found out what causes a stroke. A stroke, known in the medical field as a cerebral vascular accident (CVA) or brain attack, is more or less a “heart attack” for the brain. Like any organ in the body, the brain needs blood to supply it with oxygen and nutrients. Should this blood flow become blocked by a clot […]
Read moreLast Chance to Vote in the “Best Site of 2011” Contest
Voting for the AllMyFaves “Best Site of 2011” contest ends at midnight tonight (12/31). Today I Found Out is currently in second place under Education just 45 votes behind the leader. It’s also currently in fourth place overall among all the categories (out of 100 sites nominated by AllMyFaves). If you haven’t voted yet, you can vote for any of […]
Read more10 More Common Misconceptions Dispelled
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Read moreWhere the Brand Name “Kodak” Came From
The name “Kodak” was devised by George Eastman, founder of Eastman Kodak, and his mother, while playing with an anagram set. They were looking for a name that adhered to three principles: short; cannot be mispronounced; and should not resemble anything or be associated with anything else except for the business that would eventually be called by that name. Sources
Read moreScorpions Can Live for as Much as a Year Without Eating
Today I found out scorpions can survive as much as a year without eating. Scorpions are amazing little creatures. With almost two thousand known species found on six of the seven continents, these arthropods have been able to adapt to some of the harshest environments on earth. One evolutionary benefit they have gained is the ability to slow down their […]
Read moreDecember 29th: U.S. Cavalry Massacre More than 150 Lakota Native Americans, Including Women and Children, Near Wounded Knee Creek
This Day In History: December 29, 1890 On this day in history, 1890, the Seventh Cavalry opened fire on a Lakota Native American encampment with four rapid fire Hotchkiss guns, killing 150-300 of the group, including women and children. Along with the dead Lakota, around 25 of the cavalry troops themselves were killed with another 39 wounded, largely due to […]
Read moreThe Difference Between a Coffin and a Casket
Today I found out the difference between a coffin and a casket. The words coffin and casket are often used interchangeably to describe a box used to bury a dead body in. Although the general purpose of each is the same, there are small differences between the two. The term coffin has been used to describe a container that holds […]
Read moreEric Clapton’s Son Died Running Out of a 53rd Story Full-Wall Window a Janitor Had Removed to Let in Fresh Air
Clapton’s son, Conor, who he had with model and actress Lori del Santo while still married to Patti Boyd, died at the age of four years old after falling from a window in del Santo’s 53rd floor, New York City apartment. The window was a full wall window that had been removed by a janitor to let fresh air in […]
Read moreThe Truth Behind 5 Old Wives’ Tales
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Read more“Billy the Kid’s” Real Name was Not William H. Bonney
Myth: Billy the Kid’s real name was William H. Bonney William H. Bonny is actually another alias of Billy the Kid, used during the height of his notoriety, but it is not generally considered his real name. Throughout his life, several different names were associated with this 19th century outlaw and gunman, including: William Henry McCarty, Jr. – Billy the […]
Read moreSuper Glue Really is Super
Super Glue really is “super”. A one square inch bonding of Super Glue can hold around one ton. Super Glue has even been used to bond a small surface area of metal attached to a crane, which was then glued to the top of a car. The car was lifted successfully by the crane without the bond breaking. Sources and […]
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