Page 66 – Today I Found Out

How WW1 Got Women to Start Wearing Bras, How Women Fainting During the 19th Century Led to the Invention of the Vibrator, Why People Say “Mayday” in an Emergency and More

October 13, 2016 Dusti

In this week’s “best of” our YouTube channel, we look at how WW1 got women to start wearing bras, why voices squeak during puberty, why people say “Mayday” in an emergency, what happens to food used to break world records, the comic book character who used cocaine and why women fainting so often in the 19th century led to the […]

Educational Videos

The Surprisingly Reasonable Answer to the Age Old Question- Why Do We Drive on Parkways and Park on Driveways?

October 11, 2016 Karl Smallwood

Eric J. asks: I know it’s an old joke, but seriously, why do we drive on parkways but park on our driveways? There has to be a good reason we say it this way, right? To most people the fact that we drive on parkways and park on driveways is rarely pondered upon. This only comes to mind when pointed […]

Chewing on Gum’s History

October 10, 2016 Matt Blitz

Gum is everywhere. It could be in someone’s pocket, in a woman’s purse, underneath a classroom’s desk or lining the checkout lines at the local grocery store. Or it could be in a person’s mouth- teeth chomping away on a stick that rapidly loses its flavor. Gum is one of the most ubiquitous confectioneries in our culture, yet few know […]

The Futurists

October 10, 2016 Uncle John's Bathroom Reader

The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader What do today’s top forecasters see looming on the horizon? That simple question introduced us to the fascinating field of “futures studies”—its checkered past, muddled present, and uncertain tomorrow(s). NOSTRA-DUMB*SS For most of human history, professional prognosticators could only guess what the future would bring. If you sought advice from […]

The Amazing, Scorpion-Filled Tunnels of Cu Chi

October 6, 2016 Karl Smallwood

Hidden just below the landscape of modern Vietnam, localised mostly in the Cu Chi District of Ho Chi Minh, exists an expansive series of tunnels that at their peak spider-webbed from what was then known as Saigon to the country’s border near Cambodia. During the Vietnam War, these multi-leveled tunnels were utilised so effectively by Viet Cong forces that American […]

The Difference Between Partly Cloudy and Partly Sunny, Is Pet Food Safe for Humans to Eat, What Happened to the Flags on the Moon and More

October 6, 2016 Dusti

In this week’s “best of” our YouTube channel, we answer a variety of questions, such as- the difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny, if pet food is safe for humans to eat, what happened to the flags on the moon, why mosquito bites itch and why police officers are sometimes called pigs. Click here to subscribe to our YouTube […]

Educational Videos

Is the S or C Silent in Scent?

October 5, 2016 Melissa

Alex M. asks: Is it the s or the c that’s silent in the word scent and why does it have both letters? Without a doubt, the C is silent in scent. And the reason the C is present at all can be attributed to a few scholars’ compulsive need for orderliness. Like many English words, scent was borrowed from […]

The Bare-Breasted “Petticoat” Duel

October 5, 2016 Melissa

A time-honored method of settling disputes, trial by combat became an institution in Europe during the Middle Ages. Although it fell out of fashion for many, beginning with the Enlightenment, it remained a popular means for European nobility to settle matters of honor well into the 19th century. While most duels were fought by men, occasionally a ladies’ disagreement would […]

A Rose for Carl – An Amazingly Horrific Love Story

October 4, 2016 Melissa

Born in Dresden, Germany in 1877, Carl Tanzler claimed to have descended from aristocratic stock. Fanciful even as a child, in later years he recounted a story of being visited in his youth by a long-dead ancestor, Countess Anna Constantina von Cosel, who gave him a vision of a beautiful, dark-haired woman whom she said was his one, true love. […]

What Happens to Lost Luggage on Airplanes?

October 3, 2016 Uncle John's Bathroom Reader

The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader You watched your bag get loaded onto the plane, and then it was gone. What happened to it? LOST IN SPACE After a long flight, airline passengers shuffle to the baggage claim area and wait for their luggage to slide down the chute and onto the carousel. Most passengers see […]

The High-Flying Origin of Hot Air Balloons

October 3, 2016 Matt Blitz

It isn’t often that a duck, rooster and sheep get this much attention. In September 1783, King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette (see: The Truth About Marie Antoinette’s Cake)- along with 130,000 curious French citizens – stood in the Palace of Versailles’ courtyard to witness a demonstration of a modern marvel. After months of tests, two well-to-do paper […]

Weekly Wrap Volume 118

October 2, 2016 Dusti

This is a weekly wrap of our popular Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. The Hit Man Even if you’ve never heard of Otis Blackwell, you’ve almost certainly heard his music—he was one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century. Here’s the story of the most famous songwriter most people have never heard […]

Origins of the Jedi

September 30, 2016 Melissa

No one can dispute George Lucas’ significant contributions to cinema history, including both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. His company also played a role in advancing special effects, top quality post-production audio and even digital sound systems for movie theaters. But it is nice to know that he didn’t invent everything out of whole cloth; when developing the […]

The Peasant Who Became a Powerful Emperor: Basil I

September 30, 2016 Melissa

Born into a poor peasant family in a foreign land, no one had worse odds to become the ruler of the Byzantine Empire than Basil. Yet, through a combination of hard work, scheming, murder and competence, Basil ascended to the Byzantine throne and enjoyed 19 years of relatively peaceful rule. Authorities disagree over when and where Basil was born. Some […]

The People Who Slowly Turn to Bone, Why the Queen Doesn’t Need a Passport, The Truth About Aspartame and More

September 30, 2016 Dusti

In this week’s “best of” our YouTube channel, we look at a variety of topics, including, the rare genetic condition that slowly encases some people in a prison of bone, why the Queen of England doesn’t need a passport, if aspartame is really bad for you, what is actually in juicy fruit gum, why we use the term “gay” for […]

Who – or What – was the First Sports Mascot and How Did the Practice Start?

September 29, 2016 Matt Blitz

Nathan M. asks: How did the idea of using animals as mascots for teams start? During lopsided games or pauses in action, it is the sports team’s mascot that keeps fans entertained. Be it with dancing, shooting t-shirts into the crowds or goading opposing coaches into attacking them, mascots make sports a little more fun – even if a few of […]

The Real Story Behind How Teddy Bears Got Their Name

September 28, 2016 Samantha

Darren P. asks: Why are teddy bears called that? When the United Mine Workers of America went on strike in the spring of 1902, neither the miners nor the mine owners were quick to settle their disagreements. Fearing a shortage of coal for the approaching winter months- a major problem as coal was one of the primary ways people heated […]

Equal Rights and Free Love- The Remarkable Story of the First Female U.S. Presidential Candidate

September 27, 2016 Daven Hiskey and Sarah Stone

The 19th amendment to the United States Constitution, which was the result of many decades of hard work and lobbying from tireless suffragists who battled on both the state and national fronts, prohibits any US citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of their sex. Nearly a half century before this Constitutional amendment was ratified on […]

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