In this episode, you’re going to learn about a remarkable nineteenth century woman, Nellie Bly, and her undercover adventure in an insane asylum. [TRANSCRIPT] You can read more about Nellie Bly’s adventures in her own words: The Complete Works of Nellie Bly: Ten Days in a Mad-House, Around the World in Seventy-Two Days, The Mystery of Central Park, and Six […]
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K. Jones asks: Where does the symbol “Rx” come from? The phenomenon of ubiquitous prescription drugs (retail sales in recent years have topped $200 billion in the U.S. alone) is a relatively new experience in human history. However, its common abbreviation, ℞, has deep roots in the relatively distant (and some even claim ancient) past. Recipe for Wellness While there […]
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Kaiden asks: What causes the dark circles under my eyes when I’m tired? It is often claimed that periorbital dark circles are caused by tiredness or working too hard or even just staying up late. While this can be true, the truth is that your genes play a huge role here. So what exactly is happening when you get dark […]
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Today in History: June 2, 455 Rome was already taking its last breaths when the Vandals came to town on June 2, 455 C.E. and began the sacking of the dying city, something the Vandals proved to be very good at across the Western Empire: crush floundering cities and kingdoms into complete oblivion. And under Gaiseric’s very capable rule, they […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why your eyes water when you’re cutting onions. [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 about the evolution of the word “gay” and how it came to be applied to people who are homosexual. 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 is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. What Causes the Smell After Rain There are three primary sources of smells that commonly occur after rain. The first, the “clean” smell, in particular after a heavy thunderstorm, is caused by ozone. Ozone (scientifically known as trioxygen due to the fact […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about how a Leonardo DiCaprio haircut managed to infuriate the Taliban. [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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Rodney asks: What’s the difference between black, white, and red pepper? Do they all come from the same plant? Although black pepper is the most popular spice in the world, it is by no means the only pepper in the peck. Black, White and Green Pepper Piper nigrum Grown throughout Southern India and Sri Lanka, the vine Piper nigrum is […]
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Since ancient times, the fusion of man and wolf has been the stuff of legend and folklore (“wer” was the word for “man” in old English, with “man” being completely gender neutral). Virtually every culture across the globe has its own werewolf mythology, with this beastly shape-shifter being one of the oldest monsters to terrorize humans. Werewolf legends span so […]
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Today in History: May 30, 1593 The Bad Boy of Elizabethan England, playwright Christopher Marlowe, was stabbed in a tavern and died on this day in 1593. The story goes that Marlowe was killed in an altercation involving a bar tab, but extenuating circumstances would suggest that other factors may have been involved in the writer’s untimely demise at age […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn who the man was that was shot and killed in the famous “Saigon Execution” photo, how the photo was misrepresented in the media, and why he was killed. [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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Hammurabi was the oldest son of Sin-Muballit, and he became the sixth king of Babylon upon his father’s abdication around 1729 BC (based on the short chronology timeline). Even though he didn’t inherit much power from his father and at the time he controlled only a small part of Babylonia, the city of Sippar, he later became the first king of […]
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The Statue of Freedom sitting atop the dome of the U.S. Capitol building in Washing D.C. has more alternate names than the obscure half of the Wu Tang Clan. Over the years, the names attributed to it have ranged from things like “Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace” to the far simpler, “Armed Freedom“. However, the one, common thread is […]
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This Day In History: May 29, 1765 Patrick Henry was a lawyer, orator and statesmen whose career, mostly in the service of the state of Virginia, spanned from the earliest calls for independence through the founding of the United States of America. He’s probably best known for his “give me liberty, or give me death” speech delivered a decade later, […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn why it is that people named Richard are often called “Dick.” [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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Sarah Palin never said “I can see Russia from my house.” Tina Fey did, in a hilarious skit on Saturday Night Live. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, on the other hand, said something a little bit different from which the Tina Fey line derived. When Palin was introduced as the running mate to Arizona Senator John McCain at the Republican […]
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Phosphorus is an essential element for life. Forms of it are found in DNA, RNA, and all living cell membranes. It is the sixth most abundant element in any living organism. Phosphorus can also be highly poisonous and combustible (white phosphorus is used in many destructive weapons, such as napalm). It was also the first element discovered since ancient times. […]
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