Today I Found Out

Maria Ann Smith Is The Granny Smith Apple Pioneer

I learned today that a real-life Granny Smith is the inspiration for the moniker Granny Smith apples. In 1799, Maria Ann Sherwood entered this world in England to parents who were farmers. She took an interest in farming after seeing her parents work and eventually joined them on the farm. She wed Thomas Smith, another […]

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Today I Found Out

Contraception Chronicles

Centuries ago, the practice of coitus interruptus, also known as Pull and Pray, was a common method of contraception. With roots dating back to biblical times, it involved withdrawing before ejaculation. Surprisingly, this age-old technique, often deemed unreliable, held its ground with a failure rate comparable to modern latex condoms. In both real-world and ideal-world […]

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Entertainment

The Simpsons’ Crystal Ball

“The Simpsons” has long been a mirror to contemporary society, often seen as a satirical commentary on life’s absurdities. However, its uncanny ability to predict future events has left fans and critics in awe. From seemingly far-fetched storylines to bizarre gags, the show has forecasted numerous real-world occurrences, earning itself a reputation for being prophetic. […]

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Today I Found Out

Sharks’ Behavior Towards Human Taste

The longstanding belief that sharks dislike the taste of humans dates back decades, with notions such as these appearing in media as early as 1968. This idea was primarily based on observations that sharks often do not consume humans after an initial bite. However, the reality is more complex. Sharks, particularly species like Great Whites […]

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Today I Found Out

Praying Towards Mecca from Space

When Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a Royal Saudi Air Force pilot, ventured into space aboard the United States shuttle Discovery in 1985, he became the first Muslim to journey beyond Earth’s atmosphere. This groundbreaking event was followed by Anousheh Ansari’s remarkable trip to the International Space Station in 2006. Ansari, an Iranian-American […]

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Today I Found Out

Why Deoxygenated Blood Stays Red

Many of us have grown up with the belief that blood without oxygen is blue. After all, when we look at our veins, they often appear bluish, and it’s common knowledge that blood returning to the lungs lacks oxygen. But is this widely held belief true? The common misconception about blood is that it turns […]

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Today I Found Out

Understanding Memory Mechanisms

Memory, a fundamental component of our cognitive functioning, plays a crucial role in our daily lives. It enables us to retain and utilize learned information, guiding our actions and decisions. This article aims to dissect the complex structure of memory and how it operates within our brains. At its core, memory is a complex network […]

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Entertainment

The Surprising Story Behind Oreos

Tracing the origin of the Oreo cookie takes us back to the late 19th century. In 1890, several New York City bakeries merged to form the New York Biscuit Company, which later joined forces with Chicago’s American Biscuit and Manufacturing. This merger birthed the National Biscuit Company, known today as Nabisco. The company’s headquarters remained […]

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Today I Found Out

The Origins of March Madness

The phenomenon of “March Madness,” a term synonymous with the excitement and frenzy of the NCAA basketball tournament, has its origins in early 20th-century high school basketball. It started in Illinois in 1908 with a modest high school boys’ basketball tournament. This event, though not initially known as “March Madness,” set the stage for the […]

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Today I Found Out

Prohibition’s Irony Of The Capone Brothers

The Capone family history holds a surprising twist: Al Capone, the notorious gangster, had a brother who took a starkly different path. James Vincenzo Capone, also known as Richard Hart, distanced himself from his family and their criminal connections, embracing a life of law enforcement in the American Midwest. Born seven years before Al, James […]

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