It was 1949, then as now, countless thousands of young actresses in Hollywood were unemployed. Many give up the struggle. Others take a wrong turn and make decisions they will later regret. A certain unknown, very small, percentage persevere. That songbird they are all chasing, called “success”, inevitably proves elusive. But this article isn’t about the countless scores of would […]
Read more
Tristan asks: Does Mountain Dew kill sperm? Tristan- If you’re thinking that a 3 pack of condoms costs around $5 and Mountain Dew is only $1.99 for the 2-liter, so why not save yourself $3 on your contraception, think again! Pay the extra money! Mountain Dew does not kill your sperm, lower sperm count, make your penis smaller, or shrivel […]
Read more
This is a guest post by Adam Kutner. (more on Adam at the bottom) Today I found out about a shocking weather incident that happened in London not very long ago. In December of 1952, the city of London experienced a 5-day bout of “fog” that killed at least 4,000 people and made an estimated 100,000 sick. Fog? Isn’t that […]
Read more
Embed This Infographic [Source: Today I Found Out] For more Language Facts see: 10 Common Word & Pronunciation Mistakes 10 Interesting Word & Phrase Facts 10 More Interesting Words & Phrases Facts The Origins of 10 Words & Phrases
Read more
James asks: I always see the meme “it’s never lupus”, but what exactly is lupus? Lupus, Latin for “wolf”, is a chronic (long term) autoimmune disease. Meaning the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue instead of harmful bacteria, viruses, or other harmful organisms. Tracing back to the 14th century, lupus and cancer were both common names for an ulcerous […]
Read more
1) His name was originally Michael, not Martin. His father was also Michael King, hence why Martin Luther King Jr. was originally named Michael King Jr. However, after a trip to Germany in 1931, Michael King Sr. changed his own name in homage to historic German theologian Martin Luther. Michael King Jr. was two years old at the time and […]
Read more
Just a quick plug for one of the authors here at Today I Found Out, Samantha. She has published her first book, A Game Worth Watching, which is only $3.99 and is also available via Amazon Kindle’s lending library. My wife has now read the book (the book being geared more towards people of the female persuasion ;-)) and tells […]
Read more
1. Along with orbiting around the Sun at 66,600 mph, the Earth is also rotating at its axis at about 1,070 miles per hour. So you are simultaneously hurtling around the Sun at 66,600 mph while sitting on a rock that is spinning at 1,070 mph. On top of that, our whole solar system is rocketing through space around the […]
Read more
Gina asks: What exactly is the doctor looking for when she takes a pap smear? If you’re a woman, the term “Pap smear” probably makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The very thought of putting the appointment on your calendar makes little beads of sweat begin to form on your forehead. Similar to getting a […]
Read more
The man was Adam Rainer born in Graz, Austria sometime in 1899 (the exact date isn’t known). Rainer’s parents were neither tall nor short for the time, with his father measuring in at 5 feet 8 inches (1.72 m) and his mother at 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m). He even had a brother who matched his father’s height at […]
Read more
Anyone who has watched a President through their term in office knows stress might be a cause for gray hair; the stress/graying hair effect is particularly notable in President Obama. If you have teenagers, you’ve probably even remarked to them the stress they cause you is making your hair turn gray. The truth is going gray really has to do […]
Read more
Embed This Infographic [Source: Today I Found Out] For Part 1 of this series go here: 8 Amazing History Stories For Part 2 of this series go here: 10 Amazing History Stories Part-2 For Part 3 of this series go here: 10 Amazing History Stories Part-3
Read more
This is a guest post contributed by list25.com 1) The human brain uses about 20% of the entire body’s oxygen and caloric intake, despite accounting for only about 2% of an adult body’s mass. 2) Around 85% of humans primarily breathe out of one nostril at a time and this breathing pattern happens cyclically, with about four hours or so […]
Read more
Today I found out why salt preserves meat. While today salting meat as a method of preservation is generally only commonly used in such things as salted pork and the like, salt has been used as the primary method of preserving meats and various other foods as far back as history records. Salt has a preservative effect thanks to the osmotic […]
Read more
One of the first challenges that firefighters face when they arrive at a fire is finding a suitable water source that provides enough water for the type of fire they are fighting. Common sense tells us a car on fire will require much less water than a burning apartment building. There are formulas used by firefighters that will tell them […]
Read more
Today I found out how “port” and “starboard” became the commonly used terms for “left” (port) and “right” (starboard) on a ship. We’ve all been there. You step on a ship and everything suddenly becomes nautical, despite the fact that most on the boat probably have to resort to mnemonics to remember which side of the ship is port and […]
Read more
What can you say about the great comedic genius Mel Brooks? He has given us some of the funniest movies in history, such as “The Producers”, “Blazing Saddles”, “Young Frankenstein”, and “Space Balls”. A brilliant writer, director and performer, Mel is a true comedy immortal. For your reading pleasure, here are a few Mel Brooks facts you may not know: […]
Read more
This Day In History: January 5, 1825 On this day in history, 1825, on a bitter cold day, a young Alexandre Dumas, soon to be famed playwright and novelist and current son of Thomas-Alaxandre who was once one of Napoleon’s generals, fights in his first duel. During the duel, Dumas successfully defeated his opponent almost immediately, but, according to his […]
Read more