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 follow Brady on Twitter here. If you liked this video, you might also enjoy: “Math” vs. “Maths” and Why Mathematics has an ‘S’ on the End Why […]
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Ricky A. asks: How do dry cleaners clean the clothes? What happens to clothes after being dropped off at the dry cleaners is a mystery to most. We know that our clothes come back a whole lot cleaner than when we dropped them off, but how? And who first got the bright idea to clean clothing without water? The earliest […]
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Today in History: September 4, 2006 “I would never blame an animal if it bit me, because I’m at fault, not them. I heal so quickly. If you cut my arm off I would grow a new one.” – Steve Irwin On September 4, 2006, popular Australian TV personality and environmentalist Steve “the Crocodile Hunter” Irwin died from a stingray […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn how it is that certain organic materials become petrified. [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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Karly N. asks: What did Mozart die from? In 35 short years, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart produced over 600 works for symphony, concert, chamber, opera and choir, including Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute and The Marriage of Figaro (and some less than family friendly works that few speak of today) before suddenly dying in 1791. Despite 200 years and countless theories, […]
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Scott L. asks: Is it true that Michael Jackson bleached his skin to turn himself white? Many scandals marred Michael Jackson’s personal life, overshadowing his otherwise remarkable musical career. One such scandal was the obvious change in his appearance, especially his skin color, which started from the mid-eighties to slowly but surely turn from dark to white. By the mid-nineties […]
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This Day In History: September 3, 1944 On September 3, 1944, Anne Frank, the young Jewish girl who ultimately gave the Holocaust a unique yet universal human face through her famous diary, was sent to the Auschwitz death camp. A month earlier, thanks to an anonymous Dutch tipster, the SS discovered the hiding place in what Anne called the “Secret […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why rubbing salt on raw meat has a preservative effect. [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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Justin V. asks: Who invented morphine? Derived from opium but far more reliable and powerful, the invention of morphine changed pharmacology and pain relief. A (Very) Short History of Opium Derived from the seedpods of the poppy, Papaver somniferum (opium) has been used since early civilizations first cultivated it from a wild strain, Papaver setigerum. A 6,000 year old Sumerian […]
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In the spring of 2005 during their mating season, toads in Germany and Denmark began exploding. Spewing guts, blood and skin for nearly a yard in every direction; the disturbing phenomenon at first baffled concerned scientists, although they eventually discovered the cause of the fatal condition. Pools of Death Observed near two ponds during that spring, one in the Altona […]
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This Day In History: September 2, 1978 On Sept 2, 1978, George Harrison married Olivia Arias in a private ceremony with only her parents in attendance. She had given birth to their only child, their son Dhani, the month before. The couple remained married until George’s untimely death from cancer on November 29, 2001. Olivia Arias was working as a […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn whether there is any truth to earwigs laying eggs in people’s ears and other interesting facts about this creepy little insect. [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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Over 200 years ago, a torture chamber was discovered in the attic of a wealthy socialite. Through the years, the tale of her brutality has grown and shifted, and today, it is difficult to discern fact from fiction in the story of Delphine La Laurie and her house of horrors. Born in 1775 to Barthelmy Louis Macarty and Marie Jeanne […]
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Would you fall on a grenade to save your friends? How about two grenades? Jack H. Lucas did and became the youngest man to be awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest combat award. Born Jacklyn Harrell Lucas in Plymouth, NC on February 14, 1928, Jacklyn was a natural athlete who quickly rose to captain of the […]
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This Day In History: September 1, 1850 Before there was Madonna, Britney, or heaven forbid, Miley, Jenny Lind was packing them in like crazy and setting box-office records all over the country. And here’s the truly impressive thing about her achievement – she managed to create this kind of demand before anyone in the U.S. heard her sing a note. […]
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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. Split Infinitives are Not Incorrect Grammatically As mentioned in the recent Star Trek “to boldy go” article (check that out here), the majority of modern English grammar guides list split infinitives as being perfectly acceptable. This has also been the case, not […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why it is that we commonly measure engine power in relation to horses, specifically horsepower. You’re also going to learn who came up with this idea and how it became so popular. [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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Scott T. asks: Why is beer always sold in glass bottles or cans, and never plastic bottles like pop is? Plastic as a material has pretty much changed the way we live our lives- it’s cheap, can be moulded into practically any shape and is, for the most the part, easily recyclable (when people bother to). So why is it that […]
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