Melissa K. asks: The other day you had an article about the Great Depression with that famous picture of the impoverished mother and her kids. Who was she and what ever happened to her? The Great Depression, the worst economic downturn in the history of the United States and the Western world, began on October 24, 1929, a day that […]
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MK23 asks: How do they figure out the maximum occupancy for a building? Generally speaking, the maximum occupancy of a room or building is primarily determined by the available exits, with each exit accommodating only a certain number of people before bottlenecking occurs. The other key component in determining the max occupancy of a building or room is the intended […]
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This Day In History: August 26, 1986 During the early morning hours of August 26, 1986, a cyclist out for an early ride discovered the half-nude and badly bruised body of an attractive young woman under a tree behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It was obvious she was dead. The unfortunate victim was eighteen-year-old Jennifer […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why a clean faced Lincoln suddenly decided to grow a bushy beard upon becoming President. You’re also going to learn a lot of interesting Bonus Facts concerning Lincoln and facial hair trends in America. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes […]
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Jim P. asks: Whenever I ride a bike it always seems to hurt a certain sensitive region. Is this doing any damage down there or should I just suck it up for the exercise? Although bicycle riding affords a terrific aerobic workout, at times avid cyclists may suffer from genital discomfort, sexual dysfunction, and even, possibly, cancer as a result. […]
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This is a video from our pal Jeremiah Warren. You can subscribe to Warren’s YouTube Channel here. Also, don’t forget to check out TodayIFoundOut’s YouTube channel here, which very soon will start being updated weekly as our video person switches to doing this full time instead of almost never-time. If you liked this article, you might also enjoy our new popular […]
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Body Integrity Identity Disorder, or BIID, is a condition where a person feels an overwhelming desire to become an amputee. Some also consider it to include those who feel a desire to have some sort of other disability like becoming paralyzed or deaf. In the case of those desiring to become amputees, the limb that they want to amputate is […]
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This Day In History: August 25, 1939 On August 25, 1939, 75 years ago today, one of the best-known and most-loved films in cinematic history was released in movie theaters across the country. Far from being a huge box office smash from the get-go, The Wizard of Oz took its sweet time to reach the heights of popularity and profitability […]
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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. A Brief History of the Ballpoint Pen and Whether NASA Really Spent Millions Developing a Pressurized Version Instead of Just Using Pencils The humble ballpoint pen is an item so ubiquitous the chances of you not having one near you right now […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about a man who began life as a slave and finished it as one of the greatest orators of his era. He was also instrumental in the fight for women’s suffrage, as well as helping make sure the British didn’t aid the South during the American Civil War, among many other things. [TRANSCRIPT] […]
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If we were to tell you that there is a parasite out there that can infect virtually any warm-blooded creature on Earth; is found just about everywhere; approximately 33% of humans are infected; and is also mysteriously linked to people committing suicide and brain cancer, then we told you that it was most commonly found in cats, you’d say we […]
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This Day In History: August 22, 1893 “The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue.” ―Dorothy Parker On August 22, 1893, writer, poet and critic Dorothy Parker was born in West End, New Jersey. Her witty, irreverent and sometimes scathing sense of humor enthralled and entertained audiences across numerous genres from the […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about a Catholic priest and mathematical physicists whose theory on the origin of the universe, which later evolved into what we know today as “The Big Bang Theory,” was once called by Albert Einstein, “the most beautiful and satisfactory explanation of creation to which I ever listened.” He also made a variety of […]
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Heroes come in many forms; some are even furry and four-legged. Due in part to their superior ability to sniff and hear trouble, dogs have long been a fantastic ally and a great protector of humans. After all, it was Lassie who, through a series of barks, told the grown-ups that Timmy was in trouble again (Note: Timmy never actually […]
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This is a video from CGP Grey. If you’re a fan of TodayIFoundOut, I guarantee you’re going to love his YouTube channel, unless you just hate videos that is. (He also has a good podcast, Hello Internet, with fellow YouTuber Brady Haran.) Also, don’t forget to check out TodayIFoundOut’s YouTube channel here, which very soon will start being updated weekly […]
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The town of Centralia, Pennsylvania has been on fire for more than fifty years. Founded in 1862, Centralia popped up in response to the booming coal mining industry. Anthracite coal, a type of coal once in high demand for heating homes, lay under the town and surrounding area in massive quantities. (In fact, approximately 95% of all anthracite coal in […]
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This Day In History: August 21, 1920 “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” -Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh Christopher Robin Milne was born in London on August 21, 1920 to author Alan Alexander Milne and his wife Dorothy. For a first birthday gift, he received […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the crab that for a brief period every year quite literally overruns Christmas Island with the crab to human ratio at approximately 20,000 to 1. You’re also going to learn how they survive the journey across the island as well as why they do it in the first place, among other interesting […]
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