Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More

Five years ago today, I published the first episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.  Since then, I’ve published over 1,800 episodes, written close to 3,000,000 words, and had my podcast episodes downloaded almost 50,000,000 times.  In the process of doing all of that, I’ve learned a lot about this show and this audience and where it fits in the bigger scheme of things.  Learn more about Everything...

Marcus Licinius Crassus was the richest man in the Roman Republic.  His wealth bought him power and influence, but it couldn’t buy him everything. His massive wealth couldn’t give him the respect and authority that came from victory on the battlefield.  His desperate attempt to achieve this glory led to his spectacular demise and ultimately the fall of the Roman Republic.  Learn more about Crassus...

In the 19th century, New York City was one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.  However, it was still a very young city, and as such, the city’s leaders were able to take a step back and plan what exactly they wanted the future of the city to be.  What they decided was that the city needed a park. Not just any park, but a great park that took up an enormous part of Manhattan Island.  Learn...

On the evening of January 30, 1945, the deadliest shipwreck in human history occurred.  Most of you might be aware of the sinking of the Titanic or the Lusitania, yet you’ll have never heard of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff.  With a death toll 4 to 6 times worse than the Titanic, the maritime disaster has been all but forgotten today. Why has history forgotten about the world’s greatest maritime disaste...

For many of you listening to the sound of my voice right now, the audio originated from a digital file that was transported across the globe at the speed of light on fiber-optic cables.  The fiber optic cables, which crisscross the oceans, create a network that unites the entire globe. Almost all the telephone calls, text messages, web pages, streaming videos, and podcasts that travel around the w...

Located in the heart of West Africa is the nation of Ghana. Ghana is a medium-sized country in terms of both population and area, but for West Africa, it has multiple distinctions and firsts which set it apart from the rest of the region.  Its course since independence has taken it down a path that in some ways has been very similar to other African countries, and in other ways very different.  Le...

There are many lessons we are supposed to know in life:  pick up after yourself, never bet against a Sicilian when death is on the line, and most importantly, don’t invade Russia in the winter.  Known as one of the greatest military disasters in history, Napoleon’s invasion of Russia is often cited as a key factor in the emperor's eventual defeat.  Although the campaign actually started in June, t...

All sports are governed by a body of rules. Within those rules, there is usually a set of norms for how the game should be played. Most coaches will instruct their players to use similar techniques. However, every so often, someone comes along who totally rethinks how a game can be played.  Using the same set of rules, they come up with a totally different approach to the game, which sometimes can...

In late May and early June of 1917, the French Army faced what could have been an extensive crisis.  After three years of some of the most brutal conflict that the world had ever seen, many soldiers had had enough.  Thousands of troops refused to obey orders and refused to go along with the suicidal attacks that were the hallmark of trench warfare.  In response, the French turned to one of their g...

In the Pacific Theater in World War II, the leader of the combined Japanese fleet was Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.  Yamamoto was villanized as the arch-enemy of the American forces in the Pacific, and to be fair, he was their enemy.  But there is actually much more to the story. Yamamoto was the loudest voice against going to war with the United States and was one of only a few officials in the Japan...

On April 12, 1862, one of the most daring and audacious events of the American Civil War took place.  It wasn’t a major battle. It didn’t involve armies meeting each other on the field of battle.  Instead, it was one of the first examples in military history of a raid designed to deny the enemy access to the most vital 19th-century technology: the railroad.  Learn more about the Great Locomotive C...

One of the most common types of plants in the world is grass.  Grass is almost everywhere. An enormous part of the landmass on Earth is covered with grass.  Grass isn’t just stuff in a field that cows eat, although that is part of it. Grasses also include some of the most economically important plants in the world.  On many different levels, our civilization would not exist if it weren’t for grass...

One of the most transformative events of the 20th century was the Russian Revolution.  The Revolution was responsible for the downfall of the Russian monarchy and the rise of the Soviet Union.  It also had reverberations that were felt all over the world by other revolutions that were inspired by the Russian Revolution. Learn about the Russian Revolution, why it happened, and how it came about on...

One of the most popular fruits in the world are apples.  Apples are associated with the Garden of Eden, pleasing your teacher, and the story of Snow White. They play a role in Greek and Norse mythology, and they have lent their name to famous record and computer companies. However, apples are unlike almost every other fruit in that there are thousands of different varieties. The reason why there a...

Seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water… and the vast majority of it is useless for consumption or agriculture.  This problem has been known for thousands of years, and for thousands of years, humans have recognized that it is possible to turn seawater into drinking water; it was just difficult to do so. In the last few decades, however, the ability to get clean drinking water...

We are all familiar with things that fly in the air. Hot air balloons, dirigibles, blimps, airplanes, and helicopters. However, there is another category of flying craft that most people aren’t familiar with. It isn’t an airplane, and it isn’t a helicopter. It actually lies somewhere in between.  By combining parts of both, it has some amazing properties that neither one has.  Learn more about the...

If you take a look at the periodic table of elements, you will notice something interesting.  Go to the bottom and take a look at any element over, say, number 94. You will find a bunch of elements you have probably never heard of. Don’t worry because most chemists probably aren’t familiar with them, either. They are not part of any chemical compounds, cannot be found in nature, and most have only...

In 1818, the man who would go on to become one of the greatest leaders in the cause against American slavery was himself born into slavery. At the age of 20, he escaped bondage and went on to lead one of the most remarkable careers of the 19th century.  He led a multifaceted life, including becoming one of the era’s most notable orators, a newspaper publisher, an author, a presidential advisor, an...

Colors are something that we are all familiar with. The colors are among the first things we teach children.  What if I were to tell you not every culture has the same colors? By that, I don’t mean they have different words for colors, but some very basic colors have no words at all.  For some reason, blue is the color that divides many cultures.  ….And that isn’t the only interesting thing about...

In the summer of 1944, the Allied forces planned an audacious amphibious landing on the beaches of France. It involved hundreds of ships, over a hundred thousand men, and meticulous planning.  Those who landed would face fierce resistance from entrenched German forces.  …and I am not talking about D-Day and the invasion of Normandy. Learn about Operation Dragoon and the invasion of Southern France...

If you are listening to me speak these words and can understand what I’m saying, then you are a human being. If you are a human being, you are also a mammal, and if you are a mammal, you have hair….or at least the biological capability to produce hair. But why exactly do we have hair? What function does it serve? Why do we have less than other animals? And why do people have different types of hai...

In the year 1800, the last year of the 18th century, the world was on the precipice of radical change.  The scientific revolution, the agricultural revolution, and the industrial revolution had all begun, but were yet to hit full swing.  There were also literal revolutions afoot. Countries began overthrowing their leaders or colonial masters, a trend which would only continue in the next century. ...

One of the most critical developments in the course of human history was the control of fire. Without fire, we probably wouldn’t have even reached the Stone Age, let alone the Industrial Age. But how exactly did ancient people make fire? To make fire out of nothing is no easy feat, and it was a skill that had to be mastered for survival. Learn more about how humans made fire on this episode of Eve...

One of the most popular sports in North America and Northern Europe is ice hockey. Ice hockey, like all popular sports, has undergone considerable changes since its inception. In fact, hockey has a rather surprising origin and a relationship to other sports that many people are unaware of.  Today, professional hockey is a multibillion-dollar business, and it is played internationally and at the Ol...

Over the years, human life expectancy has increased dramatically.  While there have been many developments that have led to longer human lifespans, most of that has come from just a few major advancements.  One of the biggest of which has been the development of surgery.  The types of surgical procedures that exist today are just the latest in a long line of physical medical procedures. Learn more...