This Day In History: September 24, 1971 September 24, 1971 was Neil LaFave’s 32nd birthday. When he didn’t return home from work at the Sensiba Wildlife Area in Brown County, Wisconsin, his wife was understandably worried. She called the police, and they initiated a search for the missing game warden. It was soon revealed that Neil was last seen posting […]
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Alli G. asks: Why do people today always start sentences with so? The word so has been in English pretty much as long as there has been English (derived from the Old English swæ). It is alternately an adverb (it’s so hot), a conjunction (eat your dinner so you can have dessert), an adjective (Jim is dead, isn’t that so?) […]
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In this video from our new YouTube channel (click here to subscribe), we take a look at who invented the now ubiquitous clothing item known as jeans, what the impetus for them was, and how they ended up becoming so popular throughout a good percentage of the world. To make sure you don’t miss out on many more videos like […]
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This Day In History: September 23, 1938 TIME CAPSULE OF CUPALOY, DEPOSITED ON THE SITE OF THE NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR ON SEPTEMBER 23,1938, BY THE WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY. IF ANYONE SHOULD COME UPON THIS CAPSULE BEFORE THE YEAR A. D. 6939 LET HIM NOT WANTONLY DISTURB IT, FOR TO DO SO WOULD BE TO DEPRIVE THE PEOPLE […]
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Mark R. asks: Why do we call people who scam other people out of something a con man? “Have you confidence in me to trust me with your watch until tomorrow?” With these 13 words politely expressed, as often as not William Thompson would acquire another watch. Of course, Thompson wasn’t even close to the first to run such a […]
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In this video from MinutePhysics, Henry Reich looks at how exactly bikes stay upright. The answer probably isn’t what you think. If you like TodayIFoundOut, odds are you’ll also greatly enjoy MinutePhysics. So go check it out and subscribe to MinutePhysics here. You can also join us in supporting Henry’s efforts to make more videos like this by donating via MinutePhysics’ […]
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This Day In History: September 22, 1761 “Born and educated in this country, I glory in the name of Britain” – George III George III, one of England’s most illustrious monarchs, was crowned King at the age of 22 on September 22, 1761. He ascended the throne almost a year earlier when his grandfather, George II, died (on the toilet […]
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How many of you science fiction buffs have fantasized about zipping around town in your very own flying car? Sure, a trip in a helicopter or airplane has now become the standard or even mundane mode of long distance travel, but imagine taking your very own flying machine on a trip across town, presumably with The Jetsons’ theme song blasting […]
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The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Start with a New Jersey businessman who has questionable ethics, add soybean oil, and let it stew in a broth of fraud and greed. Pretty soon you’ve got yourself a nice little scandal. YELLOW GOLD In the late 1940s, a combination of several factors led to an enormous increase in […]
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This Day In History: September 21, 1897 Arguably one of the most famous editorials ever written (still the record holder for the most reprinted English newspaper editorial of all time) was published on September 21, 1897 in the New York Sun. It didn’t address matters of importance in the city, in the country, or even in the world at large. […]
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For all Charles Dickens knew, his second American tour starting in 1867 might be a trip into hostile territory. His first tour in the country during 1842 left him disillusioned, and his subsequent books American Notes and Martin Chuzzlewit offered stinging criticism of the America he experienced. But he was desperate. Between his banished wife’s monthly stipend and supporting his […]
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This Day In History: September 18, 1970 Although he was only prominently in the public eye for four years, Jimi Hendrix is hailed by many as the greatest rock guitarist of all time. He was a cultural icon for the Woodstock generation, a psychedelic, sexy voodoo child who fused the blues, R&B and rock into a heady mix that no-one […]
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In this video from our new YouTube channel (click here to subscribe), we take a look at when and why humans started shaving different parts of our bodies. For many more videos like this, be sure and subscribe to our channel. If you liked this video, you might also enjoy: What Happens When You Freeze Water in a Container So […]
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Amongst the pantheon of notable public television personalities, Bob Ross easily ranks alongside the likes of Mr Rogers and Elmo as a star who is almost universally loved and respected by the public. Despite being famous the world over for his balmy, soothing demeanour, his show The Joy of Painting and his amazing ‘fro, we know surprisingly little about arguably one of the best […]
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This Day In History: September 17, 1967 “I have severe hearing damage. It’s manifested itself as tinnitus, ringing in the ears at frequencies that I play guitar. It hurts, it’s painful, and it’s frustrating.” – Pete Townsend A defining moment in television and rock and roll history occurred on September 17, 1967, when the Who appeared on The Smothers Brothers […]
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History is littered with individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, but it could be argued that few have made a last stand as explosive and witty as the Dutch Naval hero, Jan van Speijk. Born in 1802 on January 31st in the city of Amsterdam, Jan van Speijk (or Speyk, if you prefer), was orphaned just weeks after being […]
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This Day In History: September 16, 1498 During Tomas de Torquemada’s watch as Spain’s Grand Inquisitor, he was responsible for the deaths of at least 2,000 suspected nonbelievers. As such, it’s pretty safe to say there wasn’t a lot of weeping among certain segments of the Spanish community when Torquemada died on September 16, 1498. Born in 1420, Tomas de Torquemada […]
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In this video from our new YouTube channel (click here to subscribe), we take a look at 13 fascinating food facts you probably didn’t know. For many more videos like this, be sure and subscribe to our channel. If you liked this video, you might also enjoy: The Greatest Practical Joke of the 19th Century Who is Craig from Craigslist? […]
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