Mostrando resultados por autor "Dan Lewis" en Todas las categorías

It's common knowledge that rubbing alcohol makes cuts burn. But, why? Find out the answer to this burning question on this episode of Now I Know. Get a scrape or a cut and your first step – after the subtle facial expression you make from the pain – may be to grab some rubbing alcohol. Your goal is to clean off the wound before applying a bandage, as you want to shield the scrape from the elements, and prevent trapping bacteria or other stuff within the injured area.

Did you know that stop signs weren't always red? Explore the stop sign's colorful past on this episode of Now I Know. Ask enough people to describe a stop sign and you will get some pretty common answers: it has the word STOP in white lettering (at least in the United States), it has eight sides, and – of course – it’s red. Everyone knows that.

Did you know that the Sentinelese people of the Indian Ocean’s North Sentinel Island are the most isolated people in the world, or that Kentucky Bend is a section of Kentucky that is totally cut off from the rest of the state? And what about pirate radio broadcaster Major Paddy Roy Bates, who occupied a British sea fort and eventually declared its sovereignty? Even if you think you have a handle on all things trivia, you're guaranteed a big surprise with Now I Know: Geography. This special collection from the Now I Know archives will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts.

Did you know that tug of war was once an Olympic Sport, or that President Teddy Roosevelt demanded that actions be taken to turn football into a more gentlemanly pastime? And what about Eddie Gaedel, the 3’7" pinch hitter for the St. Louis Browns who was nearly impossible to strike out? Even if you think you have a handle on all things trivia, you're guaranteed a big surprise with Now I Know: Sports. This special collection from the Now I Know archives will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts.

If you don't know who Taylor Swift is – well, you may just be the last person on the planet who can lay claim to that. The 25-year-old singer-songwriter is as big of a superstar as they come.

In June 2015, Ananov left Moscow in a small helicopter. He was trying to become the first person to fly solo around the world in a helicopter weighing less than one ton.

At 67°51' North latitude, the Swedish town of Jukkasjärvi is located within the Arctic Circle, which should give you an idea for how remote it is. Its Wikipedia entry uses more words to explain the origin of the town's name than it does the town's attractions, which is to say that there aren't very many of the latter. From April to November, probably the most interesting building in the town of about 500 people is an old wooden church dating back to the early 1600s.

Beginning in the 1630s and lasting for more than two centuries, Japan's foreign policy was one of strict isolationism – to a violent degree. According to Wikipedia, the policy, called "sakoku," held that "no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death."

It began in 1997. Grocery stores in Bucks County, Pennsylvania – about 45 miles from Philadelphia – were all reporting the same things to their distributors: loaf after loaf of Friehofer's brand bread, destroyed.

When tragedy strikes, and after the grieving process has begun and some time has passed, the survivors of victims often search for answers – an explanation as to what happened, why it happened and who, if anyone, is at fault.

Learn more about the French newspaper that publishes 'all the news that's fit to wait for a while,' on this episode of Now I Know. Some of the articles featured in the February 29, 2012 edition of the French-language newspaper La Bougie du Sapeur centered on the alleged dangers of chewing gum, changes in drink sizes, and a bunch of other items that don’t seem all that critical to everyday life. The newspaper is further distinguished by ads – there aren’t any – and by its website – it doesn’t have one.

Dental floss? That's good for your teeth and gums. Fairy floss? That's anything but good for your oral health (and if you're in Australia, you already know that).

In 1985, a Michigan woman named Christine Tallady gave birth to a son. She was in her early 20s and unwed at the time, and, not ready to be a full-time parent, contacted an adoption agency.

Situated on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, better known as MIT, is the Green Building. Built in the early 1960s, the building is named after Cecil Howard Green, co-founder of Texas Instruments and a graduate of MIT – Green donated much of the money for the building's construction.

In 1953 North and South Korea entered into an armistice, ending the Korean War and providing a shaky basis for something close to peace between the two nations.

Two all-beef patties. Special sauce. Lettuce. Cheese. Pickles. Onions. On a sesame seed bun. Those words were first penned by an advertising agency in the mid-1970s, and then set to music.

The word "dude" means "man" and, nowadays, is generically applicable to any person. (But you already knew that.) The term has been around since the late 1880s, but unlike most words, the etymology of the term was, until recently, mostly a mystery.

In April 1939, DuPont Chemical introduced nylon stockings to the world at the World's Fair in New York City.

If you're lucky enough to gain admittance into New York City's Columbia University, be prepared for some sticker shock. The university is pricey – and even the school recognizes this: among the FAQs posted on its website is, "How can I afford to send my child to Columbia?"

If you're running a counterfeiting ring, you probably need a lot of, let's say, "employees." One of the key ones is an engraver – someone who is going to make the plates from which your copies are produced.