Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More

On the morning of August 27, 1883, one of the most destructive natural disasters of the 19th century occurred between the islands of Java and Sumatra, in what is today the nation of Indonesia.  After weeks of low-level rumblings, a volcanic eruption totally obliterated the mountain that it had formed.  The devastation wasn’t limited to the immediate area around the volcano. The blast’s effects lit...

Located in the Pearl River Delta, off the coast of the mainland of the People’s Republic of China, is Macau. Macau is often overlooked due to its larger neighbor, Hong Kong, but Macau, despite being similar, has had its own unique history. What began as a fishing village evolved into a major trading port, and in the 21st century, it has become one of the most popular entertainment centers in Asia....

Catherine the Great was one of the most influential rulers in Russian history, transforming the Russian Empire into a major European power through territorial expansion, internal reforms, and cultural patronage.  Her reign marked the pinnacle of Enlightened Absolutism in Russia, as she embraced Western philosophical ideals while consolidating autocratic rule. She modernized administration, promote...

One of the most significant developments in the history of naval warfare was the submarine.  The submarine offered a means of stealth and surprise that surface ships couldn’t compete with.  At first, navigating submarines was relatively simple, as they traveled just below the surface and used a snorkel and a periscope. However, as submarines improved and could dive deeper, they encountered a probl...

Every single rocket that has ever been launched into space has been a rocket that burned some sort of fuel.  These chemical fuel rockets have worked well for making the short trip to orbit. Beyond that point, however, they are not necessarily the best option for space travel.  There are a host of proposed methods for space travel that don’t involve rockets, some of which have already been tested. ...

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One of the most popular foods around the world is the hamburger. If most people think of American foods, it is probably the first thing that they might think of.  Hamburgers are pretty simple in terms of what they are composed of and how they are prepared, but they have developed an enormous amount of diversity.  But where did this popular food originally come from, and how did it manage to spread...

In April 1945, in the last days of the war in Europe, everything was falling apart for the Third Reich.  Adolf Hitler and his closest advisors holed up in a bunker in Berlin and issued delusional orders until the Russians arrived. Hitler, his wife, and other high ranking Nazi officials took their own lives rather than be captured. However, what happened to Hitler’s remains has been the genesis of...

In the 13th century, the Republic of Venice was one of the leading merchant empires in Europe. The merchants from Venice traveled far and wide in pursuit of profit. A few of them, however, traveled very far.  A small group of men from the same family made the extremely long and dangerous voyage to China during the reign of the Mongol Empire.  The result was a more detailed description of China tha...

On December 8, 1941, as the Japanese were bombing Pearl Harbor, they were simultaneously attacking other Allied positions around Asia.  One of the biggest attacks was on Manila and the Philippines and the Filipino and American forces on the island of Luzon. Filipino and American forces ended up surrendering, which began one of the most brutal and horrifying episodes of the entire war.  Learn more...

One of the most important markets in the global economy is the bond market.  The bond market doesn’t get as much attention as the market for stocks. Yet, the global market for bonds is actually larger than the total value of all publicly traded stocks.  Moreover, bond markets have the power to influence policy and possibly even topple governments. Learn more about bonds and the bond market, and ho...

Every year, on the last Monday in May, the United States honors its war dead. It is often celebrated with parades, cookouts, and ceremonies at military cemeteries. While many people just think of it as a three-day weekend and the beginning of summer, it is a tradition that extends back over 160 years.  From its 19th-century origins, its path to becoming a federal holiday took over 100 years.  Lear...

In 1610, a European astronomer used a new invention called the telescope to observe the planet Jupiter. What he found revolutionized the science of astronomy and our entire understanding of the universe. Galileo also observed Jupiter that same year.  The observation of Jupiter led to the discovery of the first objects in the solar system since antiquity.  Today, astronomers are hoping that some of...

After the American Revolution, the United States economy was in trouble. One solution proposed to solve the crisis was the establishment of a national bank.  The bank wasn’t just an economic issue; it also sparked one of the first constitutional debates in the nation’s history.  Fast-forward several decades, and the United States found itself debating the exact same issue, with very similar result...

The Romans were familiar with Africa. At one point, they controlled everything on the north coast of Africa from Morocco to Egypt.  However, below their African territories was the vast Sahara Desert, which was extremely difficult to cross. For all practical purposes, it served as a permeable barrier between the people above and below the desert.  As such, historians have wondered just how much th...

For centuries, the English Channel served as a moat that kept the conflicts of Continental Europe away from the island of Great Britain. While it served as a barrier for armies, it also served as a hindrance to commerce. The movement of goods and people across the English Channel was much more difficult than he small distance that had to be crossed.  Some dreamed of one day taming that barrier, an...

One of the most important substances throughout world history has been salt.  Salt might seem mundane, but it is actually necessary for the functioning of life.  For millennia, Salt has been used as a preservative, a seasoning, and even a medium of exchange. Salt is one of the universal things that has remained the same throughout history and everywhere on Earth. Learn more about salt and its impo...

In early 18th-century London, a petty criminal became one of the most celebrated people in England.  He wasn’t celebrated despite the fact that he was a criminal; he was celebrated because he was a criminal. The authorities didn’t share in the public’s enthusiasm. He was arrested several times, but he managed to escape custody each time.  However, the law finally caught up with him, and as usual,...

In the middle of the Third Century, things were looking really bad for the Roman Empire.  This period was marked by civil war, economic collapse, foreign invasions, and a rapid succession of emperors, often military usurpers, most of whom died violently.  If things had gone just a little differently, we would have been talking about the collapse of the Roman Empire centuries before it finally did....

For thousands of years, people have looked into the night sky and seen something unusual. It was fuzzy, sometimes bright, and it wasn’t there before. It appeared out of nowhere and, after a few days or weeks, disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared. When these events occurred, they were often interpreted as omens. Good or bad depending on who was doing the interpretation.  Today, we have a...

Aircraft carriers are some of the most fearsome weapons in the world. They are enormous platforms that can travel around the globe, projecting power over an enormous part of it.  However, aircraft carriers have a rather humble origin that actually predates the invention of the airplane. Throughout the 20th century, they saw many innovations and adaptations that turned them into the fearsome weapon...

If you were to ask most people what year they associate with the American Revolution, it would be 1776. That was the year that the Continental Congress declared Independence.  However, 1776 wasn’t the start of the revolution, nor was it the end of the revolution. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the Declaration of Independence, it would have gone down as a pretty horrible year for the revolution.  F...

On October 14, 1066, England changed forever.  Forces from Normandy, France, defeated the English King and changed life in England forever.  It affected everyone from the aristocracy down to the commoners, and it even trickled down to the very language spoken in the country itself.  In fact, the events of 1066 can still be seen and felt today.  Learn more about the Battle of Hastings and the Norma...

Located in the middle of San Francisco Bay is one of the Bay Area’s most iconic landmarks: Alcatraz. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, with over a million visitors every year.  Most people know of Alcatraz as a prison, yet it only served as a prison for a very short period of time.  During its history, it has served multiple different functions and has had many diff...

On April 15, 1912, one of the greatest disasters in modern nautical history took place.  The RMS Titanic, one of the most celebrated ships of its era, struck an iceberg and sank on its inaugural voyage.  While the story of the Titanic is well known, it has been exaggerated throughout the years, and there are many misconceptions about the ship and its sinking that have persisted to this day. Learn...