Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More

When you think of battles involving broadswords and longbows you probably thinking back to the time of Braveheart.  But what if I told you that those weapons were being used much more recently in a modern mechanized war?  ...well, at least one guy was using them in World War II. Learn more about ‘Mad’ Jack Churchill, the man who brought ancient weapons to a modern war, on this episode of Everythin...

The Apollo 11 mission to land humans on the moon was one of the most complex things ever undertaken by humanity. They had to prepare for any and every eventuality, including the failure of the mission. To cover that eventually, President Nixon’s speechwriter wrote a speech to cover that eventuality. Learn more about the speech which Richard Nixon never had to give, on this episode of Everything Ev...

He was a painter, a writer, sculptor, photographer, and one of the most significant avant-garde artists of the 20th century. He was also a showman, celebrity, and one of the well-known personalities in the world. ...and he had one of the most famous mustaches in history. Learn more about Salvador Dali on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

Historically, an army would have days, weeks, or even months to prepare for war. However, with the development of intercontinental missiles and nuclear weapons, the time for preparation was reduced to hours or even minutes. In light of these changes, it was necessary to develop a system that allowed for rapid mobilization and readiness. Learn more about the DEFCON system, and the history of its le...

If I were to say “prisoner of war interrogator” something rather menacing probably comes to mind. If I were to say “Nazi prisoner of war interrogator” something really menacing probably comes to mind. And If I were to say the “the greatest Nazi prisoner of war interrogator”, you are probably imagining a truly horrifying, evil person. Learn more about Hanns Schraff, and his surprising story, on thi...

Navigation on the open ocean is extremely difficult. It is a skill that takes years to master. Even with years of skill, an experienced mariner was still able to ground their ship on an unseen reef, underwater rocks, or a sandbar, because they didn’t know their precise location. The main problem, which was unsolved for centuries, was determining your longitude. Learn more about the longitude probl...

Standing next to an extremely tall structure can be an exhilarating experience. Something which was no less exhilarating to early humans. Ever since humans created the first pile of rocks, we have been trying to build ever-larger piles of rocks. These piles of rocks eventually evolved into structures hundreds of meters tall. Learn more about the structures which have held the title of the tallest...

Hollywood is known the world over for being the center of the motion picture industry. But did you ever wonder why the movie business is centered there or why it hasn’t moved somewhere else? Well, it all has to do with a clause in various union contracts. Learn more about the Thirty Mile Zone, or the TMZ, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...

On December 6, 1917, one of the greatest tragedies of World War I took place. In a single instant, 1,782 people, mostly civilians were killed. However, this tragedy didn’t take place on the fields of Belgium or in a trench in France. It took place in the harbor of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Learn more about the Halifax Explosion, one of the worst disasters of World War I, on this episode of Everything...

Running a restaurant is a very difficult business. Most restaurants barely make a profit, and it isn’t unheard of for a series of restaurants to shuffle through the same building as one goes out of business after the other. Longevity in the restaurant game is very difficult. Even if you manage to make your restaurant a success, you aren’t guaranteed that your children will want to take over the bu...

“E Pluribus Unum”, “Habeus Corpus”, “Carpe Diem”, “Caveat Emptor”. All of these phrases are known by most people, yet they come from a language that has been dead for 1500 years: Latin. Latin is on our money, serves as mottos for universities, and is the foundation for our entire naming system in biology. Many concepts from law and logic are all described by Latin phrases. Learn more about Lingua...

In 1964, New York City disc jockey “Murry the K” humorously dubbed himself the fifth Beatle due to his early promotion of the Beatles on his radio program. Since then, almost two dozen other people have been dubbed the 5th Beatle due to their contributions to the band. Some people dubbed the 5th Beatle was even given the moniker by members of the band themselves. Learn more about the people who ha...

In 1598 the Dutch Empire acquired the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. There they found a short, fat, flightless bird that was only found on that island. The bird had absolutely no fear of humans, but perhaps it should have. In 1662, just 64 years later, the last known bird was sighted, and after that, the entire species went extinct. Learn more about the dodo bird and how it disappeared o...

In the very days of the United States, the country was mostly made up of farmers.  They primarily ate the food which they grew, and maybe hunted to supplement their diet.  They also drank. Alcohol. A lot of alcohol. In fact, the amount of alcohol consumed by early Americans on average might have been more than any other people in human history.  Learn more about the alcohol consumption habits of e...

Elizabeth Swaney was born in 1984 in Oakland, California. She attended the University of California Berkley where her only athletic accomplishment consisted of serving as the coxswain of the men’s rowing team. Elizabeth, however, desperately wanted to be an olympian. The only thing standing in her way was a complete lack of athletic ability. Her lack of athletic ability didn’t stop her, and in 201...

When people from prehistory created the first works of art on the walls of caves, they used the colors that they found around them. Almost all of the early cave art is drawn in black or dark red. As time progressed, humans figured out how to create more colors and they began using them in more and different ways. However, some colors were very difficult to create and those who could do it became f...

Most people think of languages and countries usually coincide. Germans speak German, the French speak French, and the Spanish speak Spanish. While this is largely true, it isn’t totally true. There are a host of small, regional languages which are only spoken by a few people. These languages are often ignored because they aren’t associated with a country. Learn more about the languages in Spain wh...

Charles Cunningham Boycott was not a well-liked person amongst his neighbors in Ireland. No one would talk to him, no one would sell to him, and no one would work for him. He was so disliked that his very name became synonymous with refusing to do business with someone. Learn more about Charles Cunningham Boycott and how his name became a part of the English language on this episode of Everything...

Every year, around this time, one of the largest entertainment events is held. Wrestlemania. However, this isn’t just a wrestling show. How it came about is a story of business consolidation, modern media, and celebrity culture. Even if you aren’t a fan of professional wrestling, the story behind the business of Wrestlemania is fascinating. Learn more about Wrestlemania on this episode of Everythi...

At 9:30 am on July 2, 1881, at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C., James Garfield, President of the United States was fatally shot. It is an event that, quite frankly, doesn’t really get the attention that other political assassinations have received. The story behind how and why it happened is as fascinating as any in American History. Learn more about the Assassinatio...

Located in the middle of Rome, the capital of Italy, is what many people consider to be the smallest country in the world: Vatican City. However, Vatican City isn’t like other countries. At all. It is different in almost every respect to any other country, so much so, that it is reasonable to ask why the country even exists. Learn more about Vatican City, and why it is even a thing, on this episod...

The ancient world created many incredible wonders. The Pyramids of Giza, The Great Wall of China, and the Colosseum are just a few of the great wonders which are still standing.  However, one of the greatest achievements is one that didn’t leave any physical monuments. Its legacy is the people who live on the remote islands in the Pacific Ocean.  Learn more about the Polynesian navigators and how...

In 1776, 13 British colonies in North America declared their independence. If you got a brand new country with that new country smell, what’s the first thing you need to do? Well, you need to come up with a name for the country. Believe it or not, The United States of America wasn’t everyone’s first choice. Learn more about the name of the United States on this episode of Everything Everywhere Dai...

If you think of Spain, you probably think of a predominantly catholic country with major cathedrals and churches in every village. However, most of the Iberian peninsula for almost 800 years was under Muslim control. The legacy of the Moorish occupation can still be seen in the names of places and some of Spain’s most historic buildings. Learn more about Al Andalus, the area of Muslim-controlled S...

I’m a podcaster who makes podcasts. You are a podcast listener who listens to podcasts. This is a podcast by a podcaster about podcasts for people who listen to podcasts. Because a podcast about podcasting is the ultimate podcast for podcasters. Learn more about podcasts on this episode of the Everything Everywhere Daily….Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices