This Day In History: September 16, 1932 In the early days of Hollywood, many pretty girls, whether they had acting experience or not, decided to head out west to try and make a career in motion pictures. Competition was fierce, and most of them eventually went home to the Midwest or the East Coast – or where-ever – after facing […]
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There is a long-standing belief that golf was invented by the Scottish, sometime in the 14th or 15th centuries. This maybe false, at least according to Chinese professors and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. In 2006, evidence was presented that the game may have originated from the ancient Chinese game “Chuiwan” – loosely translated to “hitting ball.” Two paintings, one […]
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Mark K. asks: Cans of Diet Coke float. Cans of regular Coke don’t. The cans are the same size and they contain the same amount of liquid according to the label. What gives? Fun fact: If you put a can of Coca-Cola into a pool of water, it would sink. However, if you put a can of Diet Coke into […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the real origin of the phrase “Let them eat cake,” as well as how Marie Antoinette got connected to the phrase. You’re also going to learn why history remembers Antoinette as such a villain, and how this starkly contrasts with the real woman. [TRANSCRIPT] If you’re interested in learning more on the […]
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This Day In History: September 15, 1963 The 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama not only served as a house of worship for its predominately black congregation, but it also was a meeting place for organizers of the Civil Rights movement, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Many of the 1960s Civil Rights marches in Birmingham began at the […]
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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. Why a Gecko’s Feet Can Stick to Almost Anything It has been observed since the 4th century BC that geckos have the ability to climb walls, hang upside down, and apparently “stick” to anything. Aristotle was the first known to have commented […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about a drastically bigger structure commonly used for certain Roman games long before the now much more famous Colosseum was even a thought. You’re also going to learn some other interesting facts about the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You […]
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The Mexico of 1968 showed every indication of being the most modern nation in Latin America. President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz oversaw a country with a booming economy and a middle class predominately able to send their children to college for the first time in Mexico’s history. Mexico City was even getting ready to host the 1968 Summer Olympics to open […]
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Big appetites can come in small packages. Case in point: 5′ 7″ and 125 pound Molly Schuyler, who lives with her husband and four kids (ages 5, 6, 7 and 10) in Bellevue, Nebraska. She maintains her lean frame by typically sticking to lots of vegetables, salads without dressing and keeping up with her four kids. She also notes, “We […]
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This Day In History: September 12, 1966 The television series The Monkees revolved around four young guys trying to make it in the music business and the mad-cap adventures they had while doing so. The four “insane boys” (as the casting call described the perfect candidates for the job) chosen by producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider to portray The […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the origin of the popular Looney Tunes corporation name “ACME,” as well as just why the coyote could never seem to catch the Road Runner. [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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The prevailing story of the origin of the potato chip starts in Saratoga Springs, New York, a historically affluent and resort community. It was 1853, eight years before the beginning of the Civil War. Known for its mineral springs and their supposed rejuvenation properties, Saratoga Springs had just started becoming a tourist destination with help of the railroad that cut […]
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This Day In History: September 11, 1297 “Wallace fought for Scotland and left the name of Wallace to be found like wild flowers all over his dear country” – William Wordsworth On September 11, 1297, The Earl of Surrey’s English forces met Scottish troops led by William Wallace and Andrew de Moray at Stirling Bridge. The Scots were stationed on […]
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In this episode, you’re going to find out about a time in high school when future MLB superstar Justin Verlander ultimately paid over $3000 for a single serving chocolate milk, and the interesting story of how this came to be. In the Bonus Facts, you’re also going to learn some interesting facts about milk, such as why it is white. […]
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In December 1979, in the depths of a Montreal winter, two Canadian newspapermen created one of the most popular board games the world has ever known. High school dropout Chris Haney was the photo editor of The Gazette. He had originally dropped out of school at the age of 17 in order to take a copy boy job with the […]
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This Day In History: September 10, 1991 Nobody suspected it at the time, but on September 10, 1991, a three-piece alternative band out of Seattle released a single that sparked a cultural revolution and changed the sound, look and vibe of rock music in ways unimaginable. Within a few months the band Nirvana, thanks to the song “Smells Like Teen […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about one of the most storied (and diminutive) soldiers in WWII, a few of the remarkable things he did during the war, as well as his very successful acting career that followed. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes by going […]
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John A. asks: What causes warts and how do you get rid of them safely? A viral infection caused by one of several ubiquitous strains (there are more than 100 known, with the vast majority of humans acquiring at least one strain at some point in our lives) of the pesky human papillomavirus (HPV), skin warts happen as the virus […]
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