Page 72 – Today I Found Out

The Barkley Marathons, a 60 Hour Race so Intense Only 14 of Over 1,000 Ultramarathoners Have Ever Completed It

July 5, 2016 Samantha

The Brushy Mountain Penitentiary, where they used to house some of the worst of the worst criminals, is located on the eastern side of Frozen Head State Park in the Tennessee mountains. Although escape attempts were rare, the prison’s ideal location reduced the chances of prisoners safely making it back to civilization. Beyond being a maximum security prison, if an […]

Weekly Wrap Volume 105

July 1, 2016 Dusti

This is a weekly wrap of our popular Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. When Rubber Duckies Started Making Bath Time Lots of Fun In 1970, everyone’s favorite orange roommate sang a song to his bathtime buddy. “Oh, rubber duckie, you’re the one. You make bathtime lots of fun,” cooed Ernie to his squeaky yellow […]

The Popular Oneida Silverware and the Polyamorous Religious Cult That Started It All

July 1, 2016 Matt Blitz

For many Americans in the 20th century, holiday meals meant getting out the special Oneida Silverware. Stainless steel, ornamental and moderately expensive, it wasn’t a fancy dinner unless there was a Silverplate Oneida spoon on the table. Despite its traditional look, the history of Oneida Silverware is anything but. The company was originally founded by a 19th century upstate New […]

That Time a Flying Pig Grounded Every Plane at London’s Heathrow Airport

June 29, 2016 Karl Smallwood

Imagine if you will that you’re sitting in an airport waiting to go on vacation. Suddenly and without warning you hear a voice over the tannoy system informing you that every single plane scheduled that day had been grounded. As your mind begins to think of all the horrible things that could have caused the delay, you hear the voice […]

Who Invented the Bloody Mary Drink and Who is It Really Named After?

June 28, 2016 Matt Blitz

Saurabh A. asks: Is the bloody Mary drink really named after Queen Mary Tudor? For many, Sundays mean brunch and a delicious morning cocktail. Quite often, that early alcoholic beverage is the odd combination of tomato juice, celery, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce (see: The Stomach Turning Thing Worcestershire Sauce is Made Of), vodka and other spices that’s known as a […]

Why Are People So Much Taller Today Than Historically, the Truth About Aerosol Sprays and the Ozone Layer, and More

June 27, 2016 Dusti

In this week’s “best of” our YouTube channel, we look at why people today are taller than people historically, what Neil Armstrong really said when he first stepped on the Moon, whether or not aerosol sprays damage the ozone layer, the story of Herbert K Pililaau vs. the North Korean Army, and how “Rx” means and where it came from. […]

Educational Videos

The Story of “the Rock”

June 27, 2016 Uncle John's Bathroom Reader

The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Everybody knows that Alcatraz (also known as “the Rock”) was a federal prison. But it wasn’t always just the dungeon of the notorious. GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES When gold was discovered near San Francisco in 1848, word spread like a virus. Seemingly overnight, the sleepy western town turned into a full-fledged city. […]

When Rubber Duckies Started Making Bath Time Lots of Fun

June 27, 2016 Matt Blitz

Jeremy W. asks: How did rubber duckies for bathtime become a thing? In 1970, everyone’s favorite orange roommate sang a song to his bathtime buddy. “Oh, rubber duckie, you’re the one. You make bathtime lots of fun,” cooed Ernie to his squeaky yellow friend. While the rubber duckie had been around for at least a century prior to Ernie and […]

Weekly Wrap Volume 104

June 26, 2016 Dusti

This is a weekly wrap of our popular Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. Why Are You Not Supposed to Use Twice Boiled Water for Tea There’s a rather persistent idea that “reboiling” water (i.e. boiling water two or more times and allowing it to cool in-between) while making a cup of tea is potentially […]

From Soccer Hopeful to World’s Angriest Chef- The Life of Gordon Ramsay

June 24, 2016 Karl Smallwood

Thanks mostly to his famously explosive temper and natural affinity for the culinary arts, Gordon Ramsay has become a household name in the States and his native Britain. However, few people know of Ramsay’s extremely humble beginnings and that prior to becoming a multiple Michelin star holding chef and one of the wealthiest people in the world, he had a […]

That Time Jordan Anderson Sent His “Letter from a Freedman to His Old Master”

June 22, 2016 Karl Smallwood

During the 19th century, there were many freed slaves that went on to lead extremely noteworthy lives despite all the adversity they faced in their lifetime, such as the world famous Frederick Douglass, who not only played an important role in fighting for black people’s rights, but also championed women’s rights, particularly playing an important part in the fight for […]

The Man Who Controls TV – Arthur Nielsen Senior

June 21, 2016 Matt Blitz

While it’s an incredibly convoluted system, the entire television industry is still basically controlled by Nielsen ratings. To this day, they have an immense impact on advertising dollars and the overall financial health of the companies that own television networks. From which TV shows are produced to how local news cover certain stories, the goal of everyone involved in television […]

Why Some Countries Refrigerate Eggs and Others Don’t, Why Spicy Foods Cause Your Nose to Run, Where the Dollar Sign Really Comes From and More

June 21, 2016 Dusti

In this week’s “best of” our YouTube channel, we share 10 amazing facts, then answer the questions- why some countries refrigerate eggs and others don’t, why spicy foods cause your nose to run, where the dollar sign comes from, why there are not many female commercial airline pilots, if it’s safe to eat cheese rinds and why people seem to […]

Educational Videos

America’s First Reality TV Show

June 20, 2016 Uncle John's Bathroom Reader

The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Survivor and The Real World may have seemed innovative at the time they debuted, but they owe a huge debt to a show that hasn’t aired since 1973 and has largely been forgotten, despite being named one of the greatest shows of all time by TV Guide. Here’s the story […]

Why Are You Not Supposed to Use Twice Boiled Water for Tea?

June 19, 2016 Karl Smallwood

Jeremy W. asks: Is it true that drinking tea made from twice boiled water is bad for you? There’s a rather persistent idea that “reboiling” water (i.e. boiling water two or more times and allowing it to cool in-between) while making a cup of tea is potentially harmful to your health, with some going so far as stating that regularly […]

Weekly Wrap Volume 103

June 17, 2016 Dusti

This is a weekly wrap of our popular Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here. THE SURPRISINGLY RECENT TIME TESTS USING RABBITS AND FROGS WERE THE GOLD STANDARD TO ACCURATELY DETECT HUMAN PREGNANCY We live in an age where determining if a woman is pregnant is ridiculously simple and cheap. Go back a few decades, though, […]

Is Pet Food Safe for Humans to Eat?

June 16, 2016 Matt Blitz

Marcus G. asks: If I had nothing else to eat, could I eat my dog’s food without getting sick from it? Nearly 80 million American households have a pet, with a majority being a cat or dog. Additionally, 42% of homes have more than one pet. A lot of food is needed to feed all of these animals, so it […]

The Not-So-Holy Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe

June 15, 2016 Melissa

Established in West Wycombe by Sir Francis Dashwood in 1749, the Brotherhood of St. Francis of Wycombe was anything but saintly. Devoted to wicked fun and debauchery, for the next two decades, many notable individuals in England counted themselves members, such as the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu, Baron George Dodington, member of Parliament Thomas Potter, and, while not […]

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