Diane M. asks: Where did the expression “pulling my leg” come from? For those who aren’t familiar with the phrase, when someone says, “You must be pulling my leg!” they usually mean, “You must be joking/teasing/making something up.” Extremely popular in the 20th century, the origin of this phrase is still something of an enigma to etymologists. There are two […]
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Derek asks: Is it true that a T-Rex couldn’t see you if you didn’t move? If so, how do scientists know this? In the immensely popular movie Jurassic Park, there’s the famous scene where the giant T-Rex is attacking a jeep during a thunder storm. As it attacks, Dr. Alan Grant, a self-respecting paleontologist, yells, “Don’t move! He can’t see […]
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This Day In History: May 16, 1975 On May 16, 1975, a nurse entered the Los Angeles hospital where she worked cradling a newborn baby. She claimed that she had just given birth to the infant at home. Her fellow employees were rather shocked, considering that their 44-year-old co-worker was past the age most women became pregnant. They were even […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn how the stereotype of the police eating donuts got its start. [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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Brandon asks: Why can’t you use blood from someone who has a different blood type than you? Hot, cold or just plain bad, throughout history, people have used blood as a metaphor to describe their changing moods. One aspect of blood, however, is immutable – its type. Since each blood type carries unique characteristics that can wreak havoc in the […]
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Mondagiriaksita asks: I was told a scumbag was originally a condom. Is this really where the word came from? “Scum” originated in the early 14th century from the Middle Dutch word “schume” meaning foam or froth. There was also a similar word in old French – escume. For about two hundreds years, the word evolved to mean a “thin layer […]
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If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what all the hullabaloo is about with Net Neutrality, this is perhaps one of the best bite-sized videos on understanding why it is so vitally important, one of many great videos from the seemingly perpetual great video making machine known as Vi Hart. You can subscribe to her phenomenal YouTube channel here. For the […]
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Today in History: May 15, 1972 On May 15, 1972, Alabama’s controversial governor George Wallace was shot at close range during an outdoor rally in Laurel, Maryland. The assailant, clad in red, white and blue, was arrested immediately at the scene. The 52-year-old Wallace was campaigning in his third bid for the U.S. presidency and was speaking before a crowd […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about how actor Jimmy Stewart by his own merits rose to the rank of General in the U.S. military, along with a whole lot of other interesting Jimmy Stewart facts. [TRANSCRIPT] We’d also like to ask that you click here and fill out a quick, anonymous survey related to our podcast. In doing so, […]
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Our resident medical expert, Scott, and a buddy of his recently started The Medicine Journal, where you can learn all sorts of interesting facts about all things medical related. Below is a sample article from their site. Almost everyone has felt them at some point in their life. Doctors will generally tell you they’re nothing to be concerned about, just […]
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Robin asks: Why do armpits smell bad compared to other parts of your body? Those millions of bacteria have to live somewhere. Sweat and Odor There are two universally-accepted types of sweat glands. Eccrine Glands The most abundant of the sweat glands, eccrine are found on most of the body and secrete a sweat that is: “A sterile, dilute electrolyte […]
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Dung beetles have long surprised scientists with their remarkable navigation abilities, despite the relatively small sizes of their brains. Scientists have also known that after dung beetles collect the dung, they do a little dance on top of it before moving it in a straight line to their destination. The dancing was once written off as a “happy dance,” but […]
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Today in History: May 14, 1938 On May 14, 1938, which happened to be Mother’s Day, a 5-year-old girl named Lina Medina became the youngest female in known human history to give birth. When most girls her age were playing with dolls, Lina was delivering a healthy six pound baby boy by caesarean section. Lina’s parents had sought medical attention […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the surprising origin of the monopoly player pieces and how they came to be introduced. We’d also like to ask that you click here and fill out a quick, anonymous survey related to our podcast. In doing so, you’ll be entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card in an ongoing monthly raffle. Thanks! […]
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Aluminium is literally one of the most common elements on Earth. So how did it come to be that aluminium cost more than gold? Was it similar to how the relatively common and easily acquired mined diamond came to be seen as valuable in the last century due to strict control of supply to consumers and some of the best marketing […]
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In the 4th century B.C., for a period of 50 years a small force of 300 elite Theban soldiers dominated Grecian battlefields. What makes this band of brothers unique in history is that it was comprised entirely of male lovers. The Elephant in the Room – Pederasty in Ancient Greece The classical Greeks tolerated a wide range of sexual appetites. […]
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Today in History: May 13, 1787 On May 13, 1787, a fleet of 11 ships under the command of Admiral Arthur Philip set sail from Portsmouth, England bound for Botany Bay, Australia. The passengers were convicts being sent to the far-flung corner of the empire to colonize it, and – hopefully – for rehabilitation under the governance of Admiral Philip. […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the amazing story of a woman who could not taste, smell, see, or hear, but became the first deaf-blind person to become fully educated and even went on to become a teacher herself. [TRANSCRIPT] We’d also like to ask that you click here and fill out a quick, anonymous survey related to our […]
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