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Why Some Coins in the United States Have Ridges
Today I found out why some coins in the United States have ridges. Putting ridges on some coins in America got its start back in the 1700′s. At this time, coins were actually made
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What Causes the Northern and Southern Lights
Today I found out what causes the Northern and Southern Lights (aurora borealis and aurora australis respectively). Simply put, these lights are caused by very fast moving electrons striking atoms in the Earth’s upper
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The Word “Mistletoe” Literally Means “Dung Twig”
Today I found out “mistletoe” literally means “dung twig”. The name for mistletoe comes from the fact that mistletoe tends to spring from bird droppings that have fallen on trees, with the seeds having
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Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Was Created By the Department Store Chain Montgomery Ward
Today I found out Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created by the department store chain Montgomery Ward as a way to save money on one of their annual Christmas promotions. The year was 1939;
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Top Five Most Visited Articles in November 2010
I have no idea why, but November seemed to be the month of the old articles for some reason. Quite a flip from October where four of the five top articles were no more
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Pre-Sliced Bread Was Once Banned in the United States
Today I found out pre-sliced bread was once banned in the United States. In 1943, Claude R. Wickard, the head of the War Foods Administration as well as the Secretary of Agriculture, got the
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The Woman Jack Nicholson Thought Was His Sister Was His Mother
Today I found out that the woman Jack Nicholson thought was his sister for a good portion of his life, turned out to be his mother. In 1974, Jack Nicholson’s movie Chinatown was opening
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The Song “Jingle Bells” Is Thought to Have Been Written for a Thanksgiving Sunday School Program
Today I found out the song Jingle Bells is thought to have been written for a Thanksgiving Sunday school program. Jingle Bells was originally called One Horse Open Sleigh and was written by James
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Why Pencil “Lead” is Called “Lead”
Today I found out why pencil cores are called “lead”, even though they don’t contain lead; rather, they are typically made of graphite powder with clay mixed in as a binding agent. In the
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French Toast Was Not Invented in France
Myth: French toast was invented in France. French toast was not invented in France. In fact, French toast was around long before France even existed as a country. The exact origins of French toast
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