This Day In History: February 16, 600 C.E. “Bless You!” is the knee-jerk response of most of us in the Western world when someone sneezes. We say it without thought or hesitation, and sometimes dozens of times a day during flu or allergy season. And every time we do, we’re obeying the edict a pope made on February 16, 600 […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why hair turns grey as you get older, why stress can cause your hair to turn grey sooner, and a lot of other interesting facts about hair. [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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Anonymous asks: Through most of history there were few clocks and only recently alarm clocks, so how did people know when to get up precisely? Or how did they schedule meetings or when to open up shop or close, etc.? Basically, I guess I’m just wondering how people kept track of time in order to go about managing daily life? […]
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Mark R. asks: Why do drawn hearts look nothing like real hearts? Who first drew them this way? The heart symbol is one of the single most enduring and widely recognised symbols in modern culture. But where did it come from? Something like the familiar heart symbol goes back many thousands of years. Specifically, several pieces of pottery going back […]
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This Day In History: February 13, 1961 On February 13, 1961, legendary singer Frank Sinatra unveiled his recording label, Reprise. Unhappy with the limitations he felt Capital Records had placed on his creativity, “Ol’ Blue Eyes” had the means and the clout in the business to strike out on his own, and the result was some of the best music […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about a bizarre medical condition where those who suffer from it have difficulty “seeing” faces, and in the extreme case, the individuals can’t even recognize their own face in the mirror or in pictures. [TRANSCRIPT] As mentioned in the episode, if you’re curious whether you’re on the “Facial Blindness” spectrum, you can take […]
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This is a video from the very talented Brady Haran who, among other channels, produces phenomenal videos such as this one over at Numberphile, which you can subscribe to here. You can also join us in supporting Numberphile on Patreon here. If you liked this video, you might also enjoy: Why Superheroes Wear Their Underwear on the Outside The Reason […]
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Elizabeth F. asks: Is white gold really gold? If it is, how do they make it white when it’s an element? The purest form of gold is, of course, golden and is referred to as 24 karat gold. Pure gold is much too soft for use in jewelry and can even be dented by simply pressing your fingernail hard against […]
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This Day In History: February 12, 1789 Ethan Allen, Vermont’s beloved but elusive folk hero, died on February 12, 1789. The manner of his death was an enigma; some say he suffered a stroke crossing Lake Champlain as he was heading to his Winooski River homestead; others contend his death was caused by falling from his sleigh in a drunken […]
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Oxford University is well known for being one of the most prestigious and elite places of learning in history. Over the years, it has seen some of the finest minds the world has ever known pass through its halls. It’s also the place where over six centuries ago a bunch of students and a fair number of townsfolk were killed […]
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Taking the job as President of the United States means that people across the world know just about everything you do or say, including occasionally making a fool of yourself. Former President George W. Bush understood that when he choked on a pretzel while watching a football game, and President Barack Obama knew that the whole world would find out […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the only woman to ever bat during an official Major League Baseball game. In the second half of the show, you’re also going to learn why we sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch of baseball games, as well as the truth about what actually inspired the […]
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This Day In History: February 11, 1858 Marie-Bernarde (known as Bernadette) Soubirous was a barely literate 14-year-old girl from a poverty stricken family in the small town of Lourdes, France. On February 11, 1858, she had gone to collect firewood with her sister and a friend. When they reached a small stream near a grotto, her companions removed their shoes […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about what funny thing 50% of the ownership of the company that would become Domino’s Pizza was sold for. You’re also going to learn an equally humorous story about a man named Kenneth Noid and what he had to do with Domino’s Pizza. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: […]
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The legendary Roald Dahl’s book Charlie & Chocolate Factory from 1964 (and its subsequent two film adaptations from 1971 and 2005) told the story of a magical candy factory and its eccentric and mysterious owner Willy Wonka. A chocolate river, gum that is a whole turkey dinner, never-ending gobstoppers, and, of course, the singing and dancing oompa-loompas are just a […]
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This Day In History: February 10, 1840 “I felt so happy when the ring was put on, and by my precious Albert.” – From the diary of Queen Victoria February 10, 1840 dawned cold and rainy in London, but this did not dampen the spirits of the crowds gathering to witness the spectacle of their young Queen’s wedding procession. It […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about how one of the largest creatures on Earth has a very tiny, doughnut shaped brain with their equally tiny esophagus running right through it, along with a lot of other interesting facts about this amazing animal. In the Bonus section, you’re also going to learn why turkeys (as in the bird) are […]
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Gared O. asks: Who invented the cardboard box? The cardboard box goes largely unappreciated. Yet, it is indispensable to our daily living. It holds all of our knick-knacks and personal mementos when we move or have things shipped. It holds our breakfast cereal. It has been used for countless children’s art projects; fashioned into a robot head or a horse’s […]
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