{"id":47339,"date":"2016-05-22T03:38:04","date_gmt":"2016-05-22T10:38:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/?p=47339"},"modified":"2016-05-22T03:38:04","modified_gmt":"2016-05-22T10:38:04","slug":"weekly-wrap-volume-100","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/index.php\/2016\/05\/weekly-wrap-volume-100\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Wrap Volume 100"},"content":{"rendered":"
This is a weekly wrap of our popular Daily Knowledge Newsletter. You can get that newsletter for free here<\/a>.<\/div>\n

\"taller\"<\/a>Why are People So Much Taller Today Than Historically?<\/a><\/p>\n

Over the last century and a half or so, humans, as a group, have grown significantly taller, with men from western, industrialized countries today being on average between 3 and 7 inches (7-18 cm) taller than their counterparts in the mid-19th century. So why have humans gotten taller?\u00a0There is very strong evidence that this simply comes down to nutrition and the body\u2019s ability to fully benefit from said nutrition via not getting certain diseases that hinder the absorption of consumed nutrients. That the environment is drastically more important than other factors, such as microevolution, is strongly indicated via looking at human height during times of relative comfort…(more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"red\"<\/a>How the Phrase “Red Herring” Came to Mean Something That is Misleading<\/a><\/p>\n

Meaning a distraction or false trail, the expression \u201cred herring\u201d has been relatively commonly used for the last two centuries, and its origins do, in fact, begin with a rust-colored fish. However, until quite recently, the accepted origins of red herring were themselves a false trail.\u00a0The literal sense of a red herring dates to at least 1250 AD when Walter of Bibbesworth wrote in The Treatise, \u201cHe etep no ffyssh But Heryng red.\u201d A product of the process used to preserve the fish into a kipper, the herring is cured in salt brine and then smoked for up to 10 days. If enough brine is used, the fish turns a red, coppery color with a rather strong smell. Capable of…(more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"salt\"<\/a>What are Smelling Salts?<\/a><\/p>\n

Smelling salts have been used for everything, from reviving those who have fainted to athletes needing a chemically-induced \u201cwake up.\u201d But what are smelling salts? Are they actually an effective medical treatment? How do they work? Are they toxic and dangerous?Smelling salts aren\u2019t what most people think of as \u201csalt\u201d; there isn\u2019t sodium in smelling salts. The main and most active ingredient is ammonium carbonate ((NH4)2CO3H2O), a solid chemical compound that, when mixed with water (H2O), releases ammonia gas. Ammonium carbonate also goes by \u201cbaker\u2019s ammonia,\u201d due to the fact that it was used as a leavening agent prior to the popularity of baking soda or powder in the early to mid-19th century. In fact, baker\u2019s ammonia is still…(more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"martin-luther-340x538\"<\/a>Talking Tough: Martin Luther’s Potty Mouth<\/a><\/p>\n

On the last day of October in 1517, a scholar and priest named Martin Luther did as priests commonly did at the time when they had something to discuss amongst the clergy- he nailed a piece of paper to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany. Unlike many other such documents nailed to the doors of churches, this one sparked a religious and social revolution, and established Luther as a hero (to some) and father of the Protestant Reformation. Interestingly, some argue that to solidify his claim to leadership, Luther also felt he had to do something else \u2013 talk tough; and in 16th century Germany, that meant having a potty mouth. Regardless of his motivations, Luther could turn a filthy phrase with the best of them, as you\u2019ll soon see…(more<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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