Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More

In the early 17th century, Japan was witness to a samurai who was arguably its greatest warrior ever.  He wasn’t just one of the greatest swordsmen in history; he was a philosopher, a writer, an artist, and, in contravention to the samurai code at the time, he was a vagabond.  Today, he is considered a saint of Japanese martial arts, and he has been portrayed in Japanese movies and books. Learn mo...

Almost 3000 years ago, the Ancient Greeks established what was a unique method of honoring their gods: an athletic competition.  Men from city states all over the Greek world would come to Mount Olympus to compete. For those crowned champion, there were few honors greater.  Over the centuries, more and more competitions were added until one day, an emperor put an end to everything until its modern...

Located on the Adriatic Sea in the southernmost part of Croatia is the city of Dubrovnik.  Founded in the 7th century, it rose in prominence and became one of the leading city-states in Europe.  It was a major competitor with Venice in the region and had complicated relations with both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.  It was the site of one of the most brutal sieges in post-WWII Europe, and tod...

The Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution holds some of the most treasured rights held by Americans.  This includes the rights of free speech, religion, assembly, due process, and protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, and self incrimination.  However, there are other parts to the bill of rights. Parts that don’t get quite as much as attention.  Learn more about the Thi...

Whether or not you are aware of it, in the last day, if you are anywhere near average, there is a very good chance that you have consumed seed oils.  Seed oils are everywhere in the modern diet. They are contained in almost every processed food and a great many foods prepared at home and in restaurants.  For one of the biggest components of the modern diet, surprisingly, it was completely absent f...

In the year 732, one of the most important battles in world history took place between the cities of Tours and Portier in France.  On one side was an unstoppable juggernaut that had amassed one of the largest empires in world history in less than a century.  On the other side was a vastly outnumbered force that lacked the primary weapon of the era, heavy cavalry.  The outcome of that battle can st...

No matter where you are on Earth right now, there is approximately 6,400 kilometers or 4,000 miles of rock beneath your feet.  All of that rock isn’t the same. There exist different layers below the surface that have different properties and different compositions.  There is even a layer near the center of the Earth where the rock isn’t even a solid, but a liquid.  The way we are able to know abou...

Many different sports have a concept of a triple crown or a grand slam.  What it is defined as differs from sport to sport, but what they all have in common is that achieving a triple crown or a grand slam is considered to be the pinnacle of the game.  In some sports, the triple crown or grand slam has achieved a legendary status, and in others, the definition changes rather frequently. Learn more...

Australia is a unique country.  By area, it's huge. By population, however, it is dwarfed by smaller countries such as Nepal, Ghana, Yemen, and the United Kingdom.  By modern standards, the nation is quite young, yet it has a history that goes back further than almost any other country.  …and there is also the thing with the criminals.  Learn more about the history of Australia and how the contine...

The Roman Empire was one of the greatest empires in the ancient world.  It left us a host of languages based on Latin, as well as many cultural institutions which still exist. While the Roman Empire is gone, when exactly did it cease to exist?  Learn more about exactly when the Roman Empire fell and if such a thing even makes sense on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsors Newspaper...

Located off the tip of Cornwall, England, lies a small group of islands known as the Isles of Scilly.  If you’ve never heard of the Isles of Scilly before, you probably just chuckled when you heard the name.  If you have heard of them, you know that they comprise the extreme southwest point of the United Kingdom and are the warmest part of the country.  These islands were also supposedly involved...

You have questions and I have answers. Sponsors Mint Mobile Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/eed Quince Go to quince.com/daily for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Stitch Fix Go to stitchfix.com/everywhere to have a stylist help you look your best Tourist Office of Spain Plan your next adventure at Spain.info  Stash Go to get.stash.com/EVERYTHING to se...

Located just 50 miles off the coast of Miami, Florida, is the nation of the Bahamas. It is a large archipelago of islands covering over 5000 square miles in the Atlantic Ocean. The Bahamas are a unique country both historically and geologically. It has a landscape unlike any other in the world, and it has been at the forefront of the European colonization of the Americas.  The modern nation of the...

If you ever stay up at night scanning through frequencies on shortwave radio, there is a good chance you might come across something very odd and kind of creepy.  You will find a station that is nothing but a disembodied voice reading off a seemingly random string of numbers. There is often an identifying sound or song which is played on a regular basis before another recital of numbers.  These st...

If you are listening to my words right now, then you are obviously an internet user.  The internet has arguably been the most transformative technology of the last fifty years.  But it wasn’t developed overnight or all at once. It was a gradual process to solve specific problems, and no one knew at the time that it would become the basis of a global network of computers.  Learn more about the orig...

The most famous battles of the US Civil War all occurred in the eastern theater, such as Gettysburg, Antietam, Shiloh, and Bull Run.  However, one of the most important battles, from both a strategic and tactical standpoint, took place in the west.  It was one of the most brilliant led battles of the entire conflict, and it vaulted into prominence a man who would go on to lead the Union to victory...

One of the biggest and most important industries in the world is banking.  Banks are large, control an enormous amount of money, and are often the most influential economic institutions in most countries.  Yet, banks are not a modern invention. Banks, in one form or another, have been around for thousands of years and have evolved into the modern institutions we have today over that time. Learn mo...

Our calendar and system of keeping time are rather unique.  It isn’t nice and tidy like the metric system. It is a collection of odd time units, leap years, and rotating calendars.  As such, many people throughout history have thought that they could do better.  So they have made proposals for changing our calendar, some of which would be very different from the one we are used to. Learn more abou...

Just one week after President Abraham Lincoln was re-elected in November 1864, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman set out to execute one of the most audacious plans of the US Civil War.  His plan involved violating several central tenets of warfare, which had been established for thousands of years, yet in the process, he helped bring the war to a swift conclusion.  In hindsight, many people c...

After the death or resignation of a pope, but before the election of a new pope, there is a period of time at the Vatican known as Sede Vacante.  The Sede Vacante doesn’t last very long, and it doesn’t happen very often, but when it does occur, it is a very busy time.  This period has its own coat of arms and highly regimented series of events that have to take place. There are also firm rules abo...

One of the greatest periods of social and technological change in world history was the Renaissance.  At the heart of the Renaissance was the city-state of Florence. It was the home to some of the world’s greatest artists and thinkers.  At the heart of Florence was a family that ran the city for several centuries. They became fabulously wealthy and sponsored much of the great art that we still app...

In the year 490 BC, one of the most pivotal battles in world history took place.  Just north of the City of Athens, Persian and Greek forces clashed in what was to be the first Persian attempt to invade Greece.  Despite being seriously outnumbered, the Greeks managed to win a decisive victory that had long-lasting ramifications.  Learn more about the Battle of Marathon, its causes, and its outcome...

Today, approximately 160 currencies are used worldwide. Some countries share the same currency, while others use the currency of another country.  However, not all currencies are equal. One currency always tends to become the dominant currency in international affairs, known as the global reserve currency.  There are benefits for the country that issues the global reserve currency. However, there...

All living things on the planet Earth, from microbes to whales, can be categorized into a single hierarchical system.  This system has been developed over the last 300 years. Layers have been added, and there have been debates as to what creatures should go where. However, it has proved an incredibly useful way to understand how all life is connected. Learn more about the system of biological taxo...

In 1995, the first planet outside our solar system was discovered.  Since then, with improved techniques and tools, over 5,000 exoplanets have been confirmed, and another 10,000 candidates are awaiting confirmation. With some of these exoplanets, astronomers can actually study their atmospheres and search for signs of life. Learn more about the search for life outside the solar system, and what ex...