{"id":30734,"date":"2014-03-08T00:00:36","date_gmt":"2014-03-08T08:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/?p=30734"},"modified":"2014-03-07T20:19:01","modified_gmt":"2014-03-08T04:19:01","slug":"weekly-wrap-volume-29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/index.php\/2014\/03\/weekly-wrap-volume-29\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Wrap Volume 29"},"content":{"rendered":"
This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here<\/a>.<\/div>\n

\"mudgett\"<\/a>The \u201cHouse of Horrors\u201d Hotel and One of America\u2019s First Serial Killers<\/a><\/p>\n

Herman Webster Mudgett was born in 1861 in New Hampshire to a relatively wealthy family. He was reportedly extremely intelligent from a young age, and went on to study medicine at the University of Michigan. But he was also implicated in the death of one of his friends when he was young, and during his stint at the University of Michigan, he was caught stealing corpses and using the bodies to make insurance claims. This was just the start of his life of lies and crime. He also participated in forgery, real estate scams, horse theft, polygamy, adultery, and, of course, gruesome murder. An 1886 move to Chicago set the stage for the known murders that would make this serial killer famous. Shortly after arriving in the city… (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"sneeze\"<\/a>Where the Word \u201cSneeze\u201d Came From and the Origin of \u201cNothing to Sneeze At\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

As with so many etymologies, it\u2019s difficult to definitively say exactly where the word \u2018sneeze\u2019 comes from, but it is generally thought that it started with the Indo-European word \u2018penu\u2019 \u2013 to breath. Eventually, this evolved into the Old High German word \u2018fnehan,\u2019 also defined as to breathe. Combining that with the the Old Norse word \u2018fnyse,\u2019 which meant to snort, brings us to the 1000 CE (also known as the \u2018High Middle Ages\u2019) and what we call \u201cOld English.\u201d The resulting Old English word… (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"lawn\"<\/a>Why We Have Grass Lawns<\/a><\/p>\n

Maintaining the perfect lawn takes a lot of work. There\u2019s mowing, fertilizing, aerating, and watering. Having a trimmed green field leading up to your front door is something of a status symbol, and in some cases having a messy front lawn can get you into trouble with your more obsessive neighbours.\u00a0 Turns out, the grass lawn as a status symbol has its origins in European aristocracy. The very first lawns were grassy fields… (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"human-bones\"<\/a>The Large Number of Human Remains Found In Ben Franklin\u2019s Basement<\/a><\/p>\n

For eighteen years, Ben Franklin, the great American inventor, diplomat, and signer of the Declaration of Independence, was a tenant in a beautiful four story Georgian house at 36 Craven Street in London, mere blocks from the River Thames. As ambassador from the colonies, he entertained, lived, and even allowed other intellectuals of the time to stay at the house while he lived there from 1757 through 1775. Nearly 225 years later, as the house stood dilapidated and on the brink of collapse, a group called \u201cFriends of Benjamin Franklin House\u201d decided to renovate the building and turn it into a museum honoring one of America\u2019s founding fathers. Work commenced, but only a month into the renovation, a construction worker named Jim Field made a startling discovery… (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"picking-nose\"<\/a>Is Eating Your Boogers Good For You?<\/a><\/p>\n

Does physically taking boogers out of your nose, putting them in your mouth and swallowing boost your immune system?\u00a0 The short answer is probably not.\u00a0 You ingest your snot all the time without needing to channel it through your mouth. So if there is a benefit here, you get it without needing to munch your nose nuggets.\u00a0 That said, there are a couple medical professionals willing to comment on the benefits of mining for green candy, particularly touting benefits to one\u2019s immune system. One of the more credible… (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Bonus<\/span> Quick Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n