Karla asks: Why do we knock on wood for luck? You’ve probably said this phrase and performed this action countless times, without the slightest clue as to the meaning behind it. So why do we feel compelled to “knock on wood” as an insurance policy against bad luck? Unfortunately, nobody knows for sure and while you’ll often read detailed accounts […]
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Duane asks: Why/how can a person be held in contempt of court after taking the 5th amendment? I read about this taking place quite often. Most Americans know they cannot be forced to incriminate themselves. Yet, many are unaware that this privilege is limited, and some have even been held in contempt of court when they tried to “take the […]
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Daniel asks: Who invented Jell-O? For over a century, Jell-O has been a part of American culture and, according to a 1904 edition of the Ladies Home Journal, “America’s Favorite Dessert” (conveniently enough named such in an advertisement paid for by Jell-O before anyone was really buying it all). That said, ever since then it really has been one of […]
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Today in History: January 24, 1935 Canned beer made its first appearance on the shelves of American stores on this day in 1935, when the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company put 2,000 cans of Krueger’s Finest Beer and Krueger’s Cream Ale up for sale in Richmond, VA. Beer in a can had been a long time coming. The American Can Co. […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn just what is the difference between a coffin and a casket. 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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Today I found out why Dalmatians are commonly firehouse dogs. Dalmatians as firehouse dogs have become so common in books and movies that it’s practically a stereotype. It turns out that Dalmatians actually really do have a strong history in the firehouse, and they used to have some purpose, too. Before fire trucks, there were horse-drawn carriages. One of the […]
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The Bermuda Triangle is a large area of ocean between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda. Over the last few centuries, it’s thought that dozens of ships and planes have disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the area, earning it the nickname “The Devil’s Triangle.” People have even gone so far as to speculate that it’s an area of extra-terrestrial activity or […]
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Today in History: January 23, 1849 On this day in 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first known woman in the United State to earn a medical degree, graduating first in her class from Geneva Medical College in upstate New York. (There may or may not have been women in the U.S. before her who achieved this as well, but disguised […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about whether or not “French” Fries are really French and the fascinating history of the potato in the western world. 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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Seth asks: Where does the expression “open a can of worms” come from? For the uninitiated, the expression “to open a can of worms” means to attempt to solve one problem, or to do something, that creates a whole litany of other problems that were not there in the first place. The idiom has become a journalistic and writing cliche […]
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Mike asks: Why does everyone say the U.S. is a Democracy when it’s really a Republic? Frequently, politicians, and many ordinary Americans, refer to the United States as a democracy. Others find this aggravating because, unlike in a democracy where citizens vote directly on laws, in the United States, elected representatives do – and, therefore, the U.S. is a republic. […]
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Today in History: January 22, 1901 When Queen Victoria died on January 22, 1901 at the age of 81, she had reigned for 63 years, longer than any other monarch in English history. Most of her subjects had known no other sovereign but her, and her death was both a shock and a genuine blow to the millions who populated […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about an instance where the Beatles inadvertently offended a dictator and the aftermath of that act. 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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The world’s most commonly used spice, Piper nigrum, starts life as berries in a clump on a flowering vine (like grapes). Native to Southern India, today pepper is grown throughout the tropics. Archaeological evidence of people using pepper goes back to at least 2000 BC in India. It is known that pepper was exported, but to what extent remains a […]
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Today I found out about the man-eaters of Tsavo. In 1898, the British were in the process of building a railway bridge over the Tsavo River in Tsavo, Kenya. Over the next nine to ten months, the Indian railway workers hired by the British, as well as native Africans in the area, were terrorized by two lions. At the time, […]
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Today I found out about the Great Emu War of 1932. Emus are native to Australia, and as everyone knows, nearly everything in Australia seems capable of killing you. If the sun doesn’t do it, there are still redback spiders, funnel webs, and Taipans, and others to contend with. It should come as no surprise, then, that the emu—part ostrich, […]
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Today in History: January 21, 1959 Carl Switzer was best known as Alfalfa, the freckled-faced character with the uncontrollable cowlick from the popular Hal Roach “Our Gang” films. Switzer joined the cast when he was seven years old, and appeared in over 75 of the classic shorts. Alfalfa had many stand-out moments during the series, but the one he is […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the interesting case of the bear who joined the Polish military and fought in WWII. 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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