In this episode, you’re going to learn whether there is any truth to the popular notion that eating turkey makes you drowsy. 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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Throughout history people have been trying to solve the problem of not getting any or just not getting enough. The following are some of the all-natural historical cures for the sexy-time doldrums. Ambergris If I told you that one of the most prized and well-known aphrodisiacs in the world was a combination of squid beaks, fatty secretions and whale poo, […]
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In ancient Greece, since laws were unwritten at first, the social pyramid’s elite of nobles and rich men interpreted and twisted the aforementioned laws for their own exclusive benefit. Of course, as usually happens in such cases, this elite claimed the laws were god-given, and subsequently, holy and to be blindly followed by all members of society… except themselves. At […]
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Indefinably fearless and nearly unstoppable—this doesn’t come close to adequately describing the boxing phenomenon Harry Greb. “The Pittsburgh Windmill” as he’s known among his most devout circle of fans, was born in June of 1894. Boxing historian Eric Jorgensen had this to say about Greb: Greb may have been the greatest fighter, pound-for-pound, who ever lived. Certainly, he was among […]
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Today in History: January 9, 1493 While sailing the waters around Haiti on January 9, 1493, Christopher Columbus spotted what he thought were three mermaids frolicking in the water. He reported later that they “came quite high out of the water,” but they were “not as pretty as they are depicted, for somehow in the face they look like men.” […]
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Just three weeks ago we launched our Daily Knowledge Podcast, and a mere 18 episodes later have already hit over 100,000 downloads and now rising by about 6K-10K downloads per day the last few days. I’ve not personally had any experience with podcasts before this, but I’m told this is phenomenal. Given the podcast has risen as high as number […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn the fascinating story of the largest nuclear bomb ever detonated. The story of the Tsar Bomba. 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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Leotards, the skin-tight garments that cover the torso and (sometimes) arms, leaving the legs free are a common sight in everything from little girls’ dance recitals, gymnastics, and figure skating to the Olympics. Favoured by those who participate in active pursuits for the flexibility that they offer, leotards were made popular by Frenchman Jules Leotard. Born in 1842, Leotard is […]
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In March 1937, several days before Palm Sunday, Puerto Rican Nationalists in the city of Ponce obtained permits for a parade and demonstration. The former was to commemorate the end of slavery in 1873 while the latter was to protest the detention of one of their leaders, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos. Ponce’s mayor, José Tormos Diego, granted the permits. Campos […]
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Despite its unassuming looks and gentle temperament, the humble red breasted robin (Erithacus rubecula) boasts a superhero-like ability. They can see magnetic fields, giving them an almost perfect sense of direction. Just to be clear, we don’t mean that a robin can sense the Earth’s magnetic field or something like that as many other birds can, it can literally see […]
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Today in History: January 8, 1800 Victor of Aveyron was a feral child who was believed to have spent most of his childhood surviving alone in the woods. Captured twice in 1798 and 1799, he finally stepped out from the woods on January 8, 1800 on his own, perhaps hoping to escape a harsh winter and remembering the kindness he’d […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about the interesting case of a family who managed to stay out of contact with other humans for over 40 years. 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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On the evening of Good Friday- April 14, 1865, as President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd enjoyed Our American Cousin at the Ford’s Theatre, famous stage actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth approached the President from behind and shot him in the back of the head. With the President slumped in his chair and chaos ensuing, Booth […]
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Mark asks: How exactly do astronauts poop and pee in space? Very carefully. Ever since Yuri Gagarin was first launched into space on April 12, 1961, engineers and space travelers have had to face the problem of how to go and where to put the waste. Birth of Space Travel In the early years of the National Aeronautics and Space […]
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Today in History: January 7, 1901 Alferd Packer went down in history as one of Colorado’s most notorious – and macabre – criminals. Nicknamed the “Man-eater,” Packer was tried and found guilty of eating five of his fellow travelers on an expedition from Utah to Colorado in 1874. The group originally included 21 people, with Packer acting as guide. As […]
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In this episode, you’re going to learn about an amazing man few know of today, but who was integral in keeping San Francisco on the map, helping to establish Hollywood (and Disney) via funding, and getting banks to start lending to the common man instead of just the rich, among many other accomplishments, most of which earned him very little […]
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The buzzer sounds. The teammates’ hands link and raise up in victory. The heads of the other team dip in defeat. The orange basketball is flung up in celebration. Young student-athletes dance around, releasing a year’s worth of pent up stress due to basketball and (in theory) school-work. Another men’s basketball NCAA championship has been won. The winning team gathers, […]
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With its roots in 19th century warfare, the phrase “meet a deadline” has an interesting, somewhat literal, etymology. American Civil War Most etymologists agree that the word “deadline” first appeared during the American Civil War (1861-1865). According to author Christine Ammer, deadline was coined at the hellish Andersonville, GA prison camp, and first appeared in writing in the report of […]
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