Smartest Year Ever

Welcome to Brain Week on Smartest Year Ever —a 7-day exploration of the most mind-blowing facts about the human brain. In today’s episode, Gordy takes aim at one of the most enduring neuromyths in pop culture: the claim that we only use 10 percent of our brains. This idea shows up everywhere—from self-help gurus and pop psychology books to movies like Lucy and Limitless . But is there any truth to...

Why do we read from left to right ? It seems natural—but it’s far from universal. Some languages go right to left . Others go top to bottom . And in ancient times, some scripts flipped directions each line , like an ox turning in a field. In this episode, Gordy investigates the surprising reasons why reading direction varies across cultures —and how it’s shaped not by our brains, but by our hands,...

Why do some countries drive on the left side of the road… while others drive on the right ? It’s one of those strange things we never think about—but it’s not based on engineering, safety, or modern logic. It goes back to knights, horses, class warfare, revolutions, and colonialism —and a few extremely dramatic moments in history that permanently altered the way people move through the world. From...

 Who was the first person ever busted for speeding? And how fast was he going? Gordy takes you back to the bizarre, steam-powered birth of traffic laws—when the speed limit was 2 miles per hour , and men waving red flags had to walk in front of cars. In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , we explore the world’s first speed limits , the wild origin of automotive laws , and the truly unhinged way a...

 Most people never question it—but why are pencils always yellow ? Were they always that way? And who decided yellow was the right color? In this episode, Gordy digs deep into the surprising history behind one of the most familiar objects on your desk. From imperial China to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, you’ll learn how a color associated with royalty, luxury, and exoticism became the default shad...

Why does “buccaneer” mean pirate? It wasn’t always about swords and sea raids. The word buccaneer has a much stranger backstory—one that starts with wild pigs , Indigenous cooking methods , and a crew of angry Frenchmen smoking meat in the Caribbean. In this episode, Gordy traces how a word that once meant “guy who slow-cooks feral pork on a wooden rack” drifted into naval warfare , state-sanction...

Some flames never die—and they don’t need a match to start. In today’s episode, Gordy investigates the wild phenomenon of natural eternal flames —fires that have been burning for decades or centuries , powered by nothing but Earth’s leaking gases . From a burning mountain in Azerbaijan to a flickering flame behind a New York waterfall , these natural wonders reveal the geological secrets right ben...

What was the largest land mammal to ever walk the Earth? Gordy digs into the prehistoric past to uncover one of the most jaw-dropping megabeasts you've never heard of. Think rhino meets giraffe meets double-decker bus —but real. With fossil evidence stretching across Asia and competing contenders for the crown, this episode explores the true giants of the mammalian world , how they lived, and...

Some people say cilantro tastes fresh and citrusy . Others say it tastes like dish soap . Why? In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy explores one of the most divisive herbs on earth—and what your DNA has to do with it. From the genetic receptor that triggers the soap effect to famous chefs who hate it , this story blends biology , culture , and evolution into a fresh take on a controversia...

Was Chef Boyardee just a cartoon mascot on a can of ravioli? Think again. In this episode, Gordy dives into the incredible true story of the man behind the red label: a teenage immigrant prodigy who would go on to cater a presidential wedding , found a national food empire , and even aid the U.S. military during World War II . From Cleveland restaurant kitchens to wartime food factories , this epi...

Why are salt and pepper the table default around the world? In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy dives into the culinary history , chemical power , and colonial legacy behind the spice duo we never question. From Roman soldiers being paid in salt to French chefs turning black pepper into a fine dining staple , the answer to why these two spices became the global standard is more fascinati...

There’s no food more iconic—or more deceptively simple—than the sandwich . But where did the name come from? And did one British aristocrat really invent it? On today’s episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy breaks down the surprising, global, and very old history of sandwiches —from gambling lords in 18th-century England to ancient religious traditions, medieval trenchers, and international street...

Why do we call them French fries? In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy digs into the surprising global history of one of the world’s most beloved foods. From Belgian peasants to French revolutionaries , from American soldiers to fast food giants , this story has it all: miscommunication, cultural pride, and deep-fried international drama. It’s Day 3 of Food Facts Week —and today’s episode...

Who really invented the potato chip? Was it an act of culinary genius—or just a frustrated chef slicing out of spite? In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy digs into the salty, crispy, and surprisingly murky origin of the potato chip . From a legendary restaurant in Saratoga Springs to industrial food innovation, it’s a story that combines spite-driven creativity , clever marketing, and on...

To kick off Food Facts Week , Gordy digs into one of the strangest names in American cuisine: why do we call them “hot dogs”? The story of this iconic street food is full of immigrant history , language twists , cartoon myths , and a whole lot of meat-based suspicion . From college slang and 19th-century food fears to the murky mystery of a missing cartoon and a real U.S. council dedicated to saus...

What does the Richter scale actually measure—and what would the most powerful earthquake in recorded history feel like? In this episode, Gordy breaks down the science of seismic waves , the logarithmic scale that changed the way we understand earthquakes, and the terrifying real-world consequences of Earth’s most violent tectonic shifts. From magnitude vs. energy to why a small number jump means m...

Was Napoleon actually short… or is that just one of history’s most effective smear campaigns? In this episode, Gordy investigates the real height of Napoleon Bonaparte , uncovers the origins of the “Napoleon Complex” , and explores how British propaganda shaped centuries of perception—all thanks to a little misunderstanding about inches. From unit conversions to military mythmaking , this episode...

Why did Yankee Doodle stick a feather in his cap… and call it macaroni? It sounds ridiculous today—but in the 18th century, that line packed a punch. In this July 4th episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy investigates one of America’s most iconic lyrics to uncover a forgotten world of British fashion slang , cultural mockery , and patriotic transformation . From powdered wigs to wartime parodies,...

Abraham Lincoln is known for delivering some of the most powerful speeches in American history. But there’s one that shook the room so hard, no one wrote it down. In this episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy unravels the mystery behind Lincoln’s so-called “Lost Speech” —a fiery address delivered at the 1856 Illinois Republican Convention that electrified the crowd, helped shape the early Republic...

In 1998, a renovation crew stumbled on something shocking beneath one of London’s oldest Georgian townhouses —once home to Benjamin Franklin himself. What they found would launch a historical investigation with a dark and surprising twist. Gordy dives into the story of how a pit of human bones ended up beneath the home of America’s most eccentric Founding Father . From the birth of modern medical...

Was “Uncle Sam” actually a real person—or just a myth wrapped in red, white, and blue? In this episode, Gordy digs into the surprisingly tangled history behind America’s most iconic face . From barrels of salted meat in the War of 1812 to the finger-pointing recruitment poster of World War I, the truth behind Uncle Sam might not be what you think. Find out how a New York meat packer , a satirical...

Every day, over 150,000 people die —from illness, age, accidents, war, and everything in between. But Gordy asks a deceptively simple question: Has there ever been a day when no human died? To find out, we dive deep into prehistoric population crashes, explore the Toba supervolcano , and run the numbers on what it would take to have a true deathless day in human history. This episode of Smartest Y...

Gordy unpacks the unexpected reason we call letters “uppercase” and “lowercase”—and the answer has nothing to do with grammar. This finale to Word Origins Week dives deep into the evolution of letterforms , the rise of Carolingian minuscule , and how a printing press storage hack became a permanent fixture in modern language—and even computer code . Along the way, you’ll find out: – Why ancient Ro...

What does it take to have your name turned into a global protest tactic ? In today’s episode of Smartest Year Ever , Gordy digs into the surprising true story of Charles Boycott —a British land agent in 19th-century Ireland whose brutal treatment of tenant farmers sparked a movement so effective, his name became a verb . This is the origin of the word “boycott,” a form of nonviolent resistance tha...

Where did the most recognizable word on Earth actually come from? In today’s episode, Gordy traces the bizarre, ironic, and political backstory behind “OK” —a word that’s now used in dozens of languages , from aviation to text messages to global diplomacy . But its true origin? Not what most people think. Before “OK” was universal, it was an inside joke , a campaign slogan, and a punchline in 1830...