Always Wondered

In this episode, why do we have tonsils?  Are they the body’s first line of defense from infection?  Or are they just hanging out in the back of your throat catching stray popcorn kernels?  We have the answer.   Also, you’ve seen AA, C, and D batteries.  But whatever happened to B?  Did it vanish into witness protection - or was it something else?  We...

In this upcoming episode, why do we have tonsils?  Are they the body’s first line of defense from infection?  Or are they just hanging out in the back of your throat catching stray popcorn kernels?  We have the answer.   Also, you’ve seen A, C, and D batteries.  But whatever happened to B?  Did it vanish into witness protection - or was it something else?&...

In this episode of Always Wondered, why do we cry?  Humans are the only creatures who can burst into tears when we’re happy, sad, or watching a cooking competition!  We’ll explore why.  Also - there once was a time when you could sing along with all kinds of catchy TV theme songs.  But today they’ve pretty much disappeared.  Learn what happened.  Plu...

In this upcoming episode of Always Wondered, why do we cry?  Humans are the only creatures who can burst into tears when we’re happy, sad, or watching a cooking competition!  We’ll explore why.  Also - there once was a time when you could sing along with all kinds of catchy TV theme songs.  But today they’ve pretty much disappeared.  Learn what happened.&...

This week on Always Wondered, America is turning 250 years old.  So we’re celebrating two-and-a-half centuries of American ingenuity, accidental success, and just enough chaos to make it all work!  Meet some Founding Fathers who were absolute geniuses…and a wee bit eccentric.  Also - learn about Revolutionary War battles that we had no business winning, but somehow mana...

Coming up on Always Wondered, America is turning 250 years old.  So we’re celebrating two-and-a-half centuries of American ingenuity, accidental success, and just enough chaos to make it all work!  Meet some Founding Fathers who were absolute geniuses…and a wee bit eccentric.  Also - learn about Revolutionary War battles that we had no business winning, but somehow mana...

This week on Always Wondered, why do our stomachs growl when we get hungry?  Is it science - or is your body just trying to embarrass you in public?  Also, we explore how famous movie quotes escaped the theater, took over our brains, and somehow replaced standard human conversation!  Plus - hear the unusual origin of the frozen dinner.  Discover how we invented a meal in a card...

This week on Always Wondered, why do our stomachs growl when we get hungry?  Is it science - or is your body just trying to embarrass you in public?  Also, we explore how famous movie quotes escaped the theater, took over our brains, and somehow replaced standard human conversation!  Plus - hear the unusual origin of the frozen dinner.  Discover how we invented a meal in a card...

In this episode of Always Wondered, we tackle the question:  why do our fingers get all wrinkly when exposed to water?  You may be surprised to learn that evolution had a good reason for those prune-like fingertips.  Also, there was a time when we could receive almost anything by mail order.  And we’ll tell you about some of the strangest items!  Plus - learn the ori...

In this upcoming episode of Always Wondered, we tackle the question:  why do our fingers get all wrinkly when exposed to water?  You may be surprised to learn that evolution had a good reason for those prune-like fingertips.  Also, there was a time when we could receive almost anything by mail order.  And we’ll tell you about some of the strangest items!  Plus - lear...

This week on Always Wondered, why are we ticklish?  Is it a beautiful bonding experience, or a biological form of total betrayal?  We’ll try to make sense of it all.  Also, we live in an era of creative baby names.  But which ones are actually illegal?  We’ll explore the ultimate dos and don'ts of naming.  Plus - what’s the origin of the phrase &ldqu...

This week on Always Wondered, why are we ticklish?  Is it a beautiful bonding experience, or a biological form of total betrayal?  We’ll try to make sense of it all.  Also, we live in an era of creative baby names.  But which ones are actually illegal?  We’ll explore the ultimate naming do’s and don'ts.  Plus - what’s the origin of the phrase &...

In this episode, we explore why we can’t remember being a baby.  And if we could, would we really want to?  Also - learn the origin of the Popsicle®.  Hear how one kid’s accident turned into a frozen treat empire.  Plus - we explore humanity's weird fascination with acronyms.  When did every conversation turn into a high-speed game of Scrabble?  Join h...

In this upcoming episode, we explore why we can’t remember being a baby.  And if we could, would we really want to?  Also - learn the origin of the Popsicle.  Hear how one kid’s accident turned into a frozen treat empire.  Plus - we explore humanity's weird fascination with acronyms.  When did every conversation turn into a high-speed game of Scrabble?  Jo...

In this episode, learn how the telephone helped turn “Hello” into the world’s official awkward conversation starter.  It’s the surprisingly strange origins of both “Hello” and “Goodbye.”  Also, we dive into movie sound effects.  Hear how Hollywood has basically been lying to us for years!  Plus - who invented the bed?  And ho...

In this upcoming episode, learn how the telephone helped turn “Hello” into the world’s official awkward conversation starter.  It’s the surprisingly strange origins of both “Hello” and “Goodbye.”  Also, we dive into movie sound effects.  Hear how Hollywood has basically been lying to us for years!  Plus - who invented the bed?&nbs...

In this episode, learn how some 19th-century hipsters gave us the most widely used word on the planet.  It’s the weird origin of “okay”.  Also, you may think football and hockey are brutal, but wait till you hear the story of how Americans once played polo…with cars!  Plus, we tackle the reason behind your mouth’s biggest betrayal.  Discover why o...

In this upcoming episode, we explore why yawning is contagious. Is it empathy? Science? Or are you just hanging out with really boring people? Also, get ready for a countdown of the most annoying sounds known to humankind. (Warning: Your ears are going to hate you by the time this one is done!) Plus, what’s the origin of the phrase “put your best foot forward”? And more important...

In this upcoming episode, we explore why yawning is contagious. Is it empathy? Science? Or are you just hanging out with really boring people? Also, get ready for a countdown of the most annoying sounds known to humankind. (Warning: Your ears are going to hate you by the time this one is done!) Plus, what’s the origin of the phrase “put your best foot forward”? And more important...

In this episode, we salute the Month of May.  Hear the weird story of the woman who created Mother’s Day - only to spend the rest of her life trying to cancel it!  Also, we look at Cinco De Mayo.  How did an obscure Mexican battle turn into a full-blown American fiesta?  Plus - learn the origin of the term “mayday” - a simple word that somehow means “eve...

In this upcoming episode, we salute the Month of May.  Hear the weird story of the woman who created Mother’s Day - only to spend the rest of her life trying to cancel it!  Also, we look at Cinco De Mayo.  How did an obscure Mexican battle turn into a full-blown American fiesta?  Plus - learn the origin of the term “mayday” - a simple word that somehow means &...

In this episode, we explore the origin of the Alarm Clock.  Before it was ever invented, humans used a truly bizarre way to make sure people woke up on time!  And we’ve got all the crazy details.  Also, waving is one of humanity’s oldest customs.  But how did swatting our hand in the air become our go-to greeting?  Plus - what’s the story behind the phras...

In this upcoming episode, we explore the origin of the Alarm Clock.  Before it was ever invented, humans used a truly bizarre way to make sure people woke up on time!  And we’ve got all the crazy details.  Also, waving is one of humanity’s oldest customs.  But how did swatting our hand in the air become our go-to greeting?  Plus - what’s the story behind...

In this episode of Always Wondered, we explore when hydration became an obsession.  How did we go from drinking from the garden hose to always carrying designer water bottles?  We’ll get to the bottom of this H2O mystery.  Also, can you imagine some of your favorite movies with completely different leading actors? You’ll be scratching your head as we uncover some of Holl...

In our upcoming episode of Always Wondered, we explore when hydration became an obsession.  How did we go from drinking from the garden hose to always carrying designer water bottles?  We’ll get to the bottom of this H2O mystery.  Also, can you imagine some of your favorite movies with completely different leading actors? You’ll be scratching your head as we uncover some...