{"id":31915,"date":"2014-04-19T00:00:19","date_gmt":"2014-04-19T07:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/?p=31915"},"modified":"2014-04-17T22:25:47","modified_gmt":"2014-04-18T05:25:47","slug":"weekly-wrap-volume-35","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/index.php\/2014\/04\/weekly-wrap-volume-35\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Wrap Volume 35"},"content":{"rendered":"
This is a weekly wrap of our Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here<\/a>.<\/div>\n

\"cooking-pasta-340x226\"<\/a>What Causes Pasta to Froth<\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all done it: you put the pasta on to boil, turn your back for a few minutes to wipe off the counter or read the newest Today I Found Out<\/a><\/a> article, and suddenly you hear that foreboding hissing sound of water boiling over. (Perhaps if you simply subscribed to our Daily Knowledge podcast<\/a> and been listening instead, you\u2019d have avoided this issue.\u00a0 You really have only yourself to blame. \ud83d\ude09\u00a0 So why does it happen? It has everything to do with the composition of pasta. Pasta is made from flour, water, and sometimes egg\u2014that means it\u2019s basically just starch and protein rolled out into different shapes and dried. It\u2019s the starch molecules that are important. Once they\u2019re heated… (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"apple-slices\"<\/a>Why the Insides of Apples Turn Brown When Exposed to Air<\/a><\/p>\n

The insides of apples turn brown when exposed to air thanks to a built in defense mechanism against bacteria and fungus. The trigger for this is damage to the cells, such as when you cut the apple, which then results in certain enzymes within the cells being exposed to oxygen. When this happens, the enzymes react to the oxygen creating an oxidized layer that provides some protection against foreign bodies. More technically, an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (also known as tyrosinase), which is comprised of monophenol oxidase and catechol oxidase enzymes, when exposed to oxygen will result in phenolic compounds in the apple tissue turning into ortho-quinones or \u201co-quinones.\u201d O-quinones are what is providing the protection from bacteria… (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"richard-and-phillip\"<\/a>The Curious Relationship Between Richard the Lionheart and King Philip II of France<\/a><\/p>\n

There are a number of monarchs throughout history who are believed to have been gay. Richard the Lionheart and Philip II are just a couple of kings who seemingly would rather have a relationship with a man than produce an heir and a spare. However, though Richard has been treated as something of a gay icon for years, direct evidence that he and Philip actually had a homosexual relationship is scant. The source most people point to is a report by Roger de Hoveden, who was a contemporary of the two kings. Here is an English translation of his account: “Richard, [then] duke of Aquitaine, the son of the king of England, remained with Philip, the King of France, who so honored him for so long that they ate every day at the same table and from the same dish, and at night their beds did not separate them. And the king…” (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"Orson_welles-340x423\"<\/a>The \u201cWar of the Worlds\u201d Mass Panic That Never Really Happened<\/a><\/p>\n

On October 30, 1938, from the Mercury Theater in New York City, Orson Welles broadcasted a \u201cmodernized\u201d radio play of H.G. Wells\u2019 (no relation) 1898 novel \u201cWar of the Worlds.\u201d For the last three quarters of the century, we\u2019ve been told that this fictionalized CBS broadcast sent Americans into a panic; that citizens across the country did not realize that this was\u00a0 science-fiction (despite the fact that it was explicitly stated at the beginning and twice during the broadcast) and thought the USA was under attack from an invading Martian army.\u00a0 Littered with realistic simulated news reports and \u201ceyewitness accounts,\u201d the hour long broadcast was innovative and an extremely entertaining way to present the story. But the thing is, no such nation-wide panic actually occurred. While there were certainly many exceptions, documented evidence indicates most who listened did know it was a dramatization and were completely aware that New Jersey was not being destroyed by visitors from space. Further, as you\u2019ll soon see… (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"full-moon-340x340\"<\/a>Why the Same Side of the Moon Always Faces the Earth<\/a><\/p>\n

One Moon \u201cday\u201d is approximately 29 1\/2 Earth days. This rotation coincides with its orbit around the Earth so that we only see about 59% of the surface of the Moon from Earth. When the Moon first formed, its rotational speed and orbit were very different than they are now. Over time, the Earth\u2019s gravitational field gradually slowed the Moon\u2019s rotation until the orbital period and the rotational speed stabilized, making one side of the Moon always face the Earth. How does this work? Simply put -tidal friction. For a slightly less simple explanation, we\u2019ll have to put our science caps on. But stick with it; it\u2019s fascinating. I promise. To start, think of how the Moon causes major tides on the Earth due to the Moon pulling… (more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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