This Day In History: December 29, 1170 “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?” –Henry II On the cold winter’s night of December 29, 1170, one of the most notorious murders of the Middle Ages occurred. To please their King, four knights crept into Canterbury Cathedral to assassinate the Archbishop Thomas Becket. This brutal event provoked a wave […]
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In this episode, we’re going to debunk many of the origin stories surrounding the candy cane, and trace the evolution of this confectionery and how it became a Christmas staple. [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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Quick Fact 881: On February 10, 1355 in Oxford, England, Walter Spryngeheuse and Roger de Chesterfield, two students at Oxford University, got in an argument with tavern owner John Croidon over the quality of the drinks he was serving. In the end, drinks were thrown in the face of Croidon, after which the two students attacked him. Soon the fight […]
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On the morning of April 5, 1943, about ten miles off the coast of Brazil, a fishing family in their small boat spotted a Chinese man on a much smaller wooden raft bobbing up and down in the Atlantic Ocean. Waving a shirt and jumping, the man was clearly in distress, so the Brazilian family turned their boat around and […]
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This Day In History: December 26, 1973 “We were around 14 years old when this came out. My friend started swearing his bed was lifting up in the night after we saw this…. It messed us up for months!” – movie goer Larry K. On December 26, 1973, “The Exorcist” was released in theaters. The film’s dark, disturbing plot is […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about whether or not poinsettias are actually poisonous or not, and many other interesting facts about this Christmas weed. [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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Quick Fact 871: John F. Kennedy’s sister, Rosemary Kennedy, was ultimately found to have an IQ of only 60-70, something the family went to elaborate lengths to hide. Finally, at the age of 23 as she began to become “rebellious,” with Joseph Kennedy Sr. worrying she might embarrass the family, Kennedy Sr. learned of a relatively new medical procedure that […]
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This Day In History: December 25, 1223 For those who celebrate Christmas, a nativity scene is a sure sign that the season is in full swing. The tradition is followed by Christians the world over. Its originator is thought to be St. Francis of Assisi, who according to tradition created the very first nativity scene in a cave outside the […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about a country that has a rather odd tradition of eating Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas dinner and how this tradition came about. [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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Michael A. asks: Why is “two bit” something cheap? Thanks! There was a time in America when rather than U.S. dollars or British pounds, most people bought and sold with Spanish coins. During the 18th century, gold and silver were precious commodities. No active mines were operating in British North America, and Britain was keeping a tight hold on its […]
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Ricci Martin, son of the world-famous singer Dean, was just like most any other teenager in the early months of 1964. Ricci was totally crazy about and obsessed with the Beatles. Ever since the Beatles arrival in America a few months previously, they had captivated teenagers far and wide and taken the entire country by storm. They were making appearances […]
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Krampus, the Christmas Demon Santa Claus has long been the symbol of Christmas, bringing joy and presents to all the good girls and boys. But if you are child in Germany, Austria, and other parts of the Alps region, there may be something much more dark, mischievous, and grumpy hidden in the shadows next to dear old St. Nick. That […]
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This Day In History: December 24, 1818 On a cold Christmas Eve, Pastor Joseph Franz Mohr walked to the home of his friend Franz Xaver Gruber carrying a poem he had written two years earlier. He was in dire need of a Christmas carol for midnight mass and was hoping Gruber, a teacher who also served as the church organist […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn how a red-nosed reindeer became a Christmas staple, as well as some other interesting facts relating to this holiday story. [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: December 23, 1805 “You don’t know me – you never will. You never knew my heart. No man knows my history. I cannot tell it; I shall never undertake it. I don’t blame anyone for not believing my history. If I had not experienced what I have, I could not have believed it myself.”– Joseph Smith, […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the fascinating story behind the Christmas classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” You’re also going to learn the surprising famed businessman that inspired the portrayal of the character of George Bailey, as well as a lot of interesting Jimmy Stewart facts in the Bonus Fact section. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, […]
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Quick Fact 861: Play-Doh was originally used as a wallpaper cleaner, with the compound debuting 22 years before Play-Doh hit the shelves, in a last ditch effort to save a dying company, the Cincinnati based soap company, Kutol. (Wallpaper cleaner wasn’t really used much anymore as people transitioned away from coal heat.) The woman who suggested the idea to use […]
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When Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, he declared that one of the missions of the modern Olympiad would be “to reunite in the bonds of legitimate wedlock a long-divorced couple — Muscle and Mind.” To the Baron, Olympic competition wasn’t just going to be about physical athletics, but sports of the mind as […]
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