On May 16, 1960, Theodore Maiman shined a high-powered light at a ruby partially coated with silver and the result was the world’s first laser. This groundbreaking device, however, was not created by a single genius in isolation. Rather, it was the result of many brilliant minds sharing ideas . . . at least until it was time to divvy […]
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Kansas had been swept up in the debate over whether or not it should allow slavery for some time. When it was finally decided that Kansas would be a free state, the South was sore. There were many clashes at the border between northern and southern states during the Civil War, and Lawrence was almost always ready to defend its […]
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Chellie asks: Do people really only have the right to one phone call when put in jail in the United States? Being arrested is a terrifying and frightening thing with all the horror stories about police abuses of power and other prisoners being absolutely dead-set on making your life miserable in a variety of horrifying ways… at least that’s what […]
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Today in History: May 9, 1960 On May 9, 1960, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved what would soon become the first birth control pill produced for commercial use. The drug was manufactured by the G.D. Searle Company in Chicago, Illinois. Its official moniker was Enovid-10, but it would forever be known simply as “The Pill.” The fight for […]
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Today I found out about Roger Ebert’s somewhat lesser known movie-related job, making X-rated films. Ebert got his start in the public sector at the age of 15 reporting on high school sports for Champaign-Urbana’s News-Gazette. He held that job all the way through college, even while serving as a reporter and editor of the Daily Illini at the University […]
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Carmen asks: Was Beethoven really deaf when he wrote all his music? If there is one Ludvig van Beethoven fact everyone knows it’s that he was deaf. But just saying “he was deaf” leaves a lot of pertinent questions unanswered, such as how deaf was he? How did he communicate with people? Of course, the biggest question is how did he […]
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It wouldn’t be much of an exaggeration to say that the oldest district of Athens, Plaka, might be one of the most unique, beautiful and historic neighborhoods on earth. Also known as the “Neighborhood of the Gods,” Plaka lies right under the cradle of Western civilization, the Acropolis. Plaka is filled with many archaeological monuments and sites spanning millennia. It’s […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about a little-known woman who rose from being a prostitute to arguably the most successful pirate in history and who ultimately managed to retire and get off, not only scot-free, but elevated to nobility. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes […]
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Today in History: May 8, 1984 On May 8, 1984 the cross-country Olympic torch relay commenced in New York City, heralding the lead-up to the opening ceremonies in Los Angeles, California. It was also the day the Soviet Union announced their decision to boycott the Olympics out of fear for their athletes’ safety while in the U.S. Within days, 13 […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn when and why humans started shaving various parts of our bodies, including why women started shaving their legs and armpits. [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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Karla asks: Why does aspirin prevent heart attacks? The wonder drug once gleaned from the bark of a willow tree is today used to help prevent heart attacks and strokes. But not everyone benefits from daily aspirin therapy. What is Aspirin? As early as Hippocrates (400 BC), people were harvesting willow to treat pain. Today, aspirin is: “Acetyl salicylic acid […]
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Overshadowed by the coverage of the Kent State Massacre that occurred not two weeks prior, when two people were killed and 11 injured while protesting at Jackson State College in the spring of 1970, the nation barely noticed – and today few remember. The Protest About 4,300 black (and only five white) students were enrolled at the historically black college […]
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Image via: Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com 711: According to Mike Tyson, his ex-wife Robin Givens was sleeping with Brad Pitt when Tyson and she were still married. Tyson stated in an interview about the specific incident, “I was getting a divorce. I was going to my lawyer’s office to divorce her that day but I wanted to sneak in…This particular […]
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Today in History: May 7, 1789 On the evening of May 7, 1789, the very first American Presidential Inaugural Ball was held in New York City. It was an elaborate shindig held to celebrate the official inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the brand-spanking-new United Stated of America. George Washington had been sworn in as the nation’s […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the slightly stomach turning origin of the world’s most expensive cup of coffee. You’re also going to learn a surprising truth about professional wine tasters, as well as why coffee “beans” aren’t actually beans. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find more episodes […]
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Masa C asks: Why do fingernails on a chalkboard make us cringe? Listen to this. Irritated? Angry? Just glad it’s over? Here’s why. Your Ear After examining the results of a 2011 study, researchers have theorized that the human ear is specifically built so that: Sounds in [a certain] range are amplified due to the anatomy of the ear canal; […]
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Andrew M. asks: Why do we say “You just earned some brownie points.” What were brownie points originally for? There are many, many origin theories for this one. One of the most often repeated and widely accepted theories is that “brownie points”—imaginary points earned by someone for doing a good deed, and lost by doing something unfavourable—stem from the Brownies, […]
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Today in History: May 6, 1910 On May 6, 1910, Britain’s King Edward VII passed away after a brief nine year reign, and his son, George Frederick Ernest Albert, ascended the throne as King George V. The King is dead, long live the King. Born on June 3, 1865, George V was the second son of Edward, Prince of Wales […]
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