This Day In History: March 9, 1959 “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.” – Ruth Handler, creator of Barbie On March 9, 1959, the American Toy Fair in New York City had the distinction of being […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn if there is any truth to the idea that the way a horse’s legs are depicted in equestrian statues indicates how the rider died. [TRANSCRIPT] As mentioned in the episode, if you’re curious to learn more about the myth that drained water spins in opposite directions depending on which hemisphere you’re in, you […]
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Brian S. asks: How did they get the space ships on the moon off when there is no oxygen there? Whether it’s two-strokes or four, one cylinder or eight, most of the engines we use today are powered by the internal combustion of fuel and air; however, mixing gasoline and oxygen isn’t the only way to generate the energy needed […]
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Brandi N asks: How do other primates deal with the umbilical cord and placenta when the baby is born when they don’t have any sort of medical help to make sure everything’s handled right? Other than certain modern humans, some marine mammals (like whales and dolphins), chimpanzees and a few domesticated animals, mammal mothers typically eat the afterbirth. While most […]
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This Day In History: March 6, 1899 On March 6, 1899, the mainstay of medicine cabinets around the globe, acetylsalicylic acid, was patented by The Friedrich Bayer & Co. under the trade name Aspirin at the Imperial patent office in Berlin. After well over a century, it’s still one of the most effective, versatile, and commonly used medications world-wide. Although […]
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Ben Franklin accomplished a lot of things over his 84 years on Earth. He was an influential newspaper editor and printer. He was an inventor, known for bifocals, the lightening rod, and Franklin stove. He was the governor of Pennsylvania for three years. He was an American founding father, who had a hand in drafting the Declaration of Independence. The […]
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In this video, produced by the very talented Brady Haran over at Numberphile, which you can subscribe to here, Dr. James Grime tells a very fascinating story of how the state of Illinois almost officially made Pi 3.2. If you like this video, please join us in supporting Numberphile on Patreon here. If you liked this video, you might also […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about several well-known celebrities who on the side were also spies. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by going here: Daily Knowledge Podcast
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This Day In History: March 5, 1969 On March 5, 1969 an arrest warrant was issued for Jim Morrison for one felony count of lewd and lascivious behavior, along with three additional misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure, open profanity, and drunkenness. These charges stemmed from a Doors performance on March 1st at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Coconut Grove Miami, […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn who introduced Paul McCartney to John Lennon and the events surrounding that historic meeting. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by going here: Daily Knowledge Podcast
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Richard G. asks: What does the “lo” in lo and behold mean? Like a wordy exclamation point, the two defining words in “lo and behold” mean basically the same thing. Specifically, the word lo!, meaning “look!” first appeared in Middle English (1100-1500 AD) in the 1200s, and essentially was clipped from the early English imperative word for “look,” lok. An […]
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Sanvi F. asks: It costs thousands of dollars to install even one road sign, so why do they bother putting “warning deer” and “falling rock” warning signs when nobody pays attention to them? Warning of an upcoming curve, playing kids, falling rock, icy roads and, of course, deer, traditional static warning signs litter the sides of our roadways to the […]
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This Day In History: March 4, 1678 One of the most influential and renowned figures in European classical music, Antonio Vivaldi was born on March 4, 1678 in Venice, Italy. Music was in his blood – his father Giovanni was an accomplished violinist and Antonio’s first music teacher. Because of his father’s connections, the young boy was able to meet […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn how the Dalai Lama is found amongst the masses after the previous Dalai Lama dies. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by going here: Daily Knowledge Podcast
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Jillian A. asks: Who invented the word bimbo? Depending on whom you ask, bimbo can be an insult or just a description. Usually implying a lack of intelligence, and often combined with physical attractiveness and promiscuity, today bimbo is often used to describe someone who isn’t that bright, and gets by on her (or his) looks (or wealth). And this […]
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Ryan K. asks: Given that they probably need to move their fins constantly to stay in place, do fish ever sleep? Less like sleep and more like suspended animation, most fish species do spend some time resting. And like us, if they don’t put in enough downtime, they try to make up for it later. Sleep has a simple definition […]
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This Day In History: March 3, 1887 On March 3, 1887, the lives of two extraordinary women were changed forever when Anne Sullivan, an impoverished graduate of the Perkins Institute for the Blind, arrived at the home of the well-heeled Kellers to work with their daughter Helen. Obviously bright but over-indulged by her parents, Helen was unable to see, hear […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why we call the facial hair style “sideburns” by that name, along with a lot of other interesting facial hair related facts. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by going here: Daily Knowledge Podcast
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