Today in History: April 24, 1479 BCE Tradition holds that by our modern calendar, on April 24, 1479 B.C.E the Trojans learned they should beware of Greeks bearing gifts, especially when they come in the form of large wooden horses. The story goes that after ten long years of warfare, the Greeks, unable to break through the city of Troy’s […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn whether or not handling baby birds will really cause the parent birds to reject it. You’re also going to learn just why one rotten apple can spoil an entire bunch rapidly. This episode is brought to you by NatureBox, a subscription service for nutritious snacks, with new snacks introduced every month made from […]
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Jan Zizka (aka Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha) is regarded as one of the single finest military minds in world history. He also had his skin turned into a drum. Before we get to his death, though, we want to discuss Zizka’s life, because well, frankly it was remarkable. For starters, Zizka, born in 1360, is generally considered to […]
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Remember that scene in the movie Trading Places where Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd bankrupted those two old rich guys by cornering the frozen orange juice market? It turns out that a guy actually once did make many millions of dollars by doing pretty much exactly as they did in the movie, only instead of orange juice, he bought onions… […]
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Today in History: April 23, 1014 The Battle of Clontanf was not a heat-of-the-moment type event. Instead, is was the result of two centuries of broken treaties, misalliances, dirty dealings and general loathing between the native Irish Celtic chieftains and the Norsemen who had invaded and settled in Ireland two hundred years earlier. The Vikings arrived on the shores of […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about one of history’s more bizarre events involving the son of Abraham Lincoln and the brother of John Wilkes Booth. You’re also going to learn why pistachios used to be died red and an interesting fact about a certain statue in New York’s Central Park. This episode is brought to you by NatureBox, […]
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Sue T asks: Why do we measure oil in barrels instead of gallons or liters? How much oil is in a barrel? More than just gasoline for our cars, crude oil is transformed into an infinite variety of products we use every day – from personal products like shampoo and lotion, to food preservatives and fertilizers, to the plastic bags […]
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Today I found out why some plants are considered weeds and others are not. Weeds can be defined in a variety of ways: a plant growing where it isn’t wanted, a plant that interferes with farming or grazing, a plant that was not intentionally sown, a plant that is persistent and detrimental to the plants around it, among others. Basically, […]
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Mark asks: Why is “y” only sometimes a vowel? When is it a vowel and when is it a consonant? You already know that vowels in the English alphabet are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y, while the rest of the letters are called consonants. But did you ever ask yourself why the letters were divided into two […]
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Today in History: April 22, 1970 On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans demonstrated in massive rallies from coast-to-coast against the destruction of the environment and for the need to raise awareness of environmental issues. Founded by activist and U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day led to the establishment of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Endangered Species Act […]
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In this episode, you’re going to find out about the day Abraham Lincoln established the Secret Service, as well as just where his incredibly inept body guard was when Lincoln was being shot. You’re also going to find out just why there is an area in New York called the “Bronx,” plus a lot of other interesting Bonus Facts surrounding […]
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Karla asks: Is it true that once the Austrian army accidentally ended up fighting itself in a battle? If you ever feel like you’ve “made a huge mistake,” just remember: it’s probably not bigger than the Battle of Karansebes, during which the Austrian army broke into two and ended up mistakenly fighting itself. At least, that’s what supposedly happened. There […]
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Rachel M. asks: Was Colonel Sanders really a Colonel? Kentucky Colonel is the highest honor that can be bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. (Incidentally, if you’re curious: Why Colonel is Pronounced “Kernel”) To be named a “Colonel” is to be recognized for “outstanding service to community, state, and nation.” The sitting governor of Kentucky, or the Secretary of State […]
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Today in History: April 21, 1509 “This day is the end of our slavery, the fount of our liberty; the end of sadness and the beginning of joy.” – Thomas More, April 21, 1509 When Henry VIII came to the throne on April 21, 1509, just before his 18th birthday, the English people looked forward to his reign with great […]
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In this Weekend Whys episode of the podcast, you’re going to learn why members of law enforcement are sometimes called “pigs,” as well as why the police in England are often called “bobbies.” [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 Whys episode, you’re going to learn why ambulances are called that. 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 Pasta to Froth We’ve all done it: you put the pasta on to boil, turn your back for a few minutes to wipe off the counter or read the newest Today I Found Out article, and suddenly you hear that […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the origin of French toast, which funny enough is not French. You’re also going to learn why mustard is yellow, and it turns out it doesn’t have anything to do with the mustard seeds themselves. [TRANSCRIPT] Don’t miss future episodes of this podcast, subscribe here: iTunes | RSS/XML You can also find […]
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