Misc.

Category Archives: Misc.

How Commercial Airplanes Keep a Steady Supply of Fresh Air and How the Emergency Oxygen Masks Supply Oxygen Given They are Not Hooked Up to Any Air Tank

April 5, 2016 Melissa

Jimmy K. asks: Why is there a plastic bag attached to airline oxygen masks if they don’t inflate? Because the economics of having large oxygen tanks aboard airliners simply doesn’t work out (not to mention that the air quality inside the plane would rapidly become unpleasant if fresh air wasn’t constantly supplied, regardless of the oxygen levels), commercial airplanes have […]

Why Are Shoe Sizes as They Are?

March 30, 2016 Melissa

Kim A. asks: How did they come up with the standard sizes for shoes? Seemingly arbitrary, there is a crazy logic (and a lot of muddy history giving rise to tradition) behind the numbers assigned to different shoe sizes. During the reign of England’s Edward II (1284-1327), certain measurements became standardized. Most pertinent to the discussion at hand: Three barley-corns, […]

The Story Behind the Crop Circle Phenomenon

March 29, 2016 Karl Smallwood

In 1991 two men by the name of Doug Bower and Dave Chorley rocked the worlds of ufologists and paranormal experts alike when they claimed to be the driving force behind the crop circle phenomenon of the late 1970s and beyond using little more than a plank of wood and a length of rope. This was a claim self-professed experts […]

To Boldly Go Where No Fecal Matter Has Gone Before

March 14, 2016 Karl Smallwood

Officially the Apollo 10 mission of 1969 was a dress rehearsal for the more famous Apollo 11- designed to test all of procedures and equipment needed to land on the Moon save for the actual act of the landing itself. (To assure it was just a practice run, they did not put enough fuel in the LM to land and […]

What Happens After You Flush?

March 2, 2016 Uncle John's Bathroom Reader

The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader READY, SET, GO! For you, the trip has ended. You’ve “done your business,” (hopefully you’ve also had a few minutes of quality reading time), you’ve flushed the toilet, and you’ve moved onto the next thing. But for your “business,” a.k.a. organic solid waste, a.k.a. “Number Two,” the trip is just […]

The Story of Bob.com

March 1, 2016 Karl Smallwood

In 1983, Paul Mockapetris proposed a distributed database of internet name and address pairs, now known as the Domain Name System (DNS). This is essentially a distributed “phone book” linking a domain’s name to its address, allowing you to type in something like todayifoundout.com instead of the IP address of the website. The distributed version of this system allowed for […]

Why are Barns Traditionally Painted Red?

February 19, 2016 Samantha

Rachel E. asks: Why are barns usually painted red? Paint, in some form, has existed since prehistoric times. Some of the earliest forms of paint came from mixing together dirt, ash, and organic materials with animal blood and oil. While the practice of painting the exterior of various structures has been around for some unclear amount of time since, not […]

Stigler and “His” Law of Eponymy

February 17, 2016 Karl Smallwood

Back in 1968, one of the fathers of modern sociology and National Medal of Science award winner Robert K. Merton explored the phenomenon of what he called the “Matthew Effect” while writing a paper discussing how seniority or perceived prestige seemed to be the deciding factor in who would be given credit for a scientific discovery or breakthrough, regardless of […]

That Time When You Could Save Yourself From Being Executed by Beating the Executioner in a Foot Race

February 9, 2016 Karl Smallwood

Like many historical nations, the Ottoman Empire was no stranger to doling out deadly justice to criminals and those the rulers disliked. Unlike most, for several decades, starting sometime in the late 18th century, they did offer some of the condemned a chance to avoid being executed. How? They simply had to beat the palace’ head gardener in what amounted […]

Has There Ever Been an Actual Case of Someone Being Pelted With Tomatoes During a Performance?

February 4, 2016 Karl Smallwood

Andthen2 asks: Has there ever been a real case of someone being pelted with tomatoes during a performance? As we’ve discussed in detail before (see: The Curious Case of the Claque), audiences haven’t always been kind to performers throughout history as evidenced by the fact that there was a thriving industry of people who made a rather lucrative living during […]

How Do Astronauts Scratch an Itch When In Their Space Suits?

January 22, 2016 Samantha

Kalia F. asks: If an astronaut has an itch when in a space suit, like on their face, how do they itch it? Without the use of their hands, astronauts have to rely on other means to scratch various itches. For any itch outside of the face, retired astronaut Clayton Anderson explained, “You shake, rattle and roll, baby! That’s the […]

Dustbin of History: The Checker Cab

January 15, 2016 Uncle John's Bathroom Reader

The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Even though they haven’t been manufactured for more than 30 years, Checker Cabs remain one of the most iconic cars ever made. Here’s a look under the hood of this unique piece of American automotive history. TAILOR-MADE Morris Markin was a Russian-Jewish tailor who emigrated to the United States in […]

Closing on Christmas

January 12, 2016 Samantha

Over six decades ago, Denny’s restaurant was founded, not as a general diner, but as Danny’s Donuts on the promise that they would “serve the best cup of coffee, make the best donuts, give the best service, offer the best value and stay open 24 hours a day.” Subsequently operating under its slogan, “America’s Diner is always open,” they have […]

Stalin’s Diminutive Size

January 5, 2016 Karl Smallwood

While Joseph Stalin’s cult of personality, subsequent statues, and certain photos and paintings may have you thinking he was a giant of a man, in truth the former Soviet leader and glorious moustache owner was only around 5 feet 5 inches tall (165 cm), give or take an inch. While this is decidedly below average in many regions of the […]

The Lost Leonardo

January 3, 2016 Uncle John's Bathroom Reader

The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Only 15 paintings by the Italian Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci are known to exist. But what if there were more…and what if Leonardo’s greatest work—one that’s been presumed destroyed since 1563—was safely hidden, just waiting to be discovered? THE BIG PICTURE In 1503 the Republic of Florence (now part […]

The Fascinating World of Apollo Astronaut Life Insurance Policies

December 31, 2015 Melissa

In the late 1960s, NASA’s Apollo missions were in full swing, with both Apollos 8 and 10 having successfully launched, orbited the Moon and returned with their astronauts safely to the Earth. By the summer of 1969, the space program was ready to try something new – land a craft with men on the Moon, and then re-launch and bring […]

What is the Longest Possible Prison Sentence for a Single Crime?

December 29, 2015 Melissa

Tarin K. asks: What is the single worst crime you could commit, as in, what singular crime would net you the longest prison sentence? With the long-running debate over mandatory minimum sentences over the past couple of decades, it’s easy to forget that judges and juries often have a great deal of discretion when it comes to imposing criminal sentences […]

Who Invented the Shopping Cart?

December 29, 2015 Melissa

Gary asks: Who invented the common shopping cart that seems to be the exact same design in most stores you go to? With the emergence of the automobile, home refrigeration, and the supermarket in the early 20th century, retailers soon realized they had a problem – people now were willing to purchase large quantities of food at once, but had […]

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