Marcus asks: Why do songs get stuck in your head? Whether yours is “Call Me Maybe,” “Who Let the Dogs Out,” “Mickey,” or something equally infectious, at one time or another, you’ve probably had a fragment from a catchy (or obnoxious) tune stuck in your head. Where Do Sticky Songs Come From? Due to the involuntary nature of songs getting […]
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Julie H. asks: How do fingerprints form? I’d also like to know if you burn or remove the skin will they regenerate? Emerging on the buds of fingers while the fetus is still in the womb, the whorls, arches and loops on the ends of digits are said to be unique to each individual. Durable as well, even when fingerprints […]
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This Day In History: July 30, 1898 Once upon a time, back in the late 1800s, people in the Western world would work themselves into a tizzy over the mere mention of masturbation. The practice was, at least publicly, long frowned upon, but Victorian priggishness coupled with religious revivals popular at the time provided a fertile breeding ground for anti-masturbation […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn what actually happened to the famed library of Alexandria. [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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Despite ethnic, religious, regional and political differences, every now and then people are able to set aside disagreements, look to their common humanity, and make the world a better place. Perhaps one of the greatest and most inspiring examples of such global cooperation has been the eradication of smallpox. The Disease Caused by either of two related viruses, Variola major […]
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Today I found out about the presidents before the U.S. Constitution went into effect. Schools in the United States teach children from an early age that the first president of the United States was George Washington. But teachers often forget to mention a small, kind of important detail- George Washington was the first U.S. president under the current United States […]
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This Day In History: July 29, 1981 On July 29, 1981, the Fairytale Wedding of the Century took place at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The handsome prince stood at the altar awaiting his young and beautiful blushing bride who had won his heart over all the other girls in the kingdom. The Lady arrived at the church a mere […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn whether or not a cow really had anything to do with the cause of the Great Chicago Fire. You’re also going to learn some interesting tidbits about the benefit of the Great Chicago Fire to the city of Chicago. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You […]
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On January 27, 1964, then three-term Senator Margaret Chase Smith put the first crack in the “hardest, highest glass ceiling” when she announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. Although she never really came close to winning it, Senator Smith’s presidential campaign helped dispel centuries of chauvinism and paved the way for female political […]
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Mark K. asks: I was just wondering if a human ate another human in an apocalyptic scenario or something would this be unhealthy or just awful and gross? Yes. Unhealthy For the Devourer Depending on what parts are eaten (the most infected include the brain, spinal cord, bone marrow and small intestine), human cannibals run the risk of contracting a […]
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This Day In History: July 28, 1794 On July 28, 1794, the man who was once the hero of the French Revolution suffered an astounding fall from grace. His zealousness and tireless devotion to “The Cause” made him the obvious choice to lead the Revolution during its most radical phase known as the Reign of Terror. Ironically, the very qualities […]
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This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. What Ever Happened to Confederate President Jefferson Davis? Jefferson Davis was attending a Sunday church service in the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia, when he heard the news. Union General Ulysses S. Grant had broken General Robert E. Lee’s defenses in […]
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In this Weekend Why episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn why we call it “piggyback” when we carry someone on our back. [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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In this Weekend Why episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn why women have the nicknames “chicks,” “dames,” and “broads,” as well as the decidedly family friendly origin of the word “slut.” [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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In this episode, you’re going to learn what causes Will-O’-The-Wisps, those random eerie lights often spotted in swampland. [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: July 25, 306 Constantine the Great is probably best remembered for being the first Christian Roman emperor, but he was a ruler of historical significance for other reasons as well. When Constantius was appointed as one of the two caesares, or junior emperors, of the Tetrarchy in 293, his son Constantine went to Nicomedia to serve […]
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In this episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn who was the first to walk in space, how he came very close to getting stuck out there, and the many complications that happened as the two men tried to return to Earth. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find […]
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That the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter is constant has been known to humanity since ancient times; yet, even today, despite 2000 years of thought, theories, calculations and proofs, π’s precise value remains elusive. Ancient Civilizations Babylonian By the 17th century B.C., the Babylonians had a relatively advanced knowledge of mathematics, that they memorialized into […]
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