Everything Everywhere Daily

In 1908, a two-year-old boy named Puyi was installed as the 11th Emperor of the Qing Dynasty in China.
His life would prove to be radically different from that of any other Chinese emperor who came before him. He would see the end of Imperial China, become a puppet ruler for those who wished legitimacy, wind up in prison, and finally live out his final days as a commoner. 

His personal story can be seen as a microcosm of the history of China during the 20th century. 

Learn more about Puyi, the last Emperor of Ch...

In the dark skies over the Eastern Front of World War II, the Soviet Union deployed one of the most unusual and effective combat units of the war: the Night Witches. 

Officially the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, this unit flew outdated, fragile biplanes on nighttime harassment missions against German forces, cutting their engines to glide silently toward their targets before dropping bombs. 

More notably, the regiment was entirely composed of women.

Learn about the Night Witches on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Approximately 55 times a day, or 20,000 times a year, an earthquake occurs somewhere on Earth.

Of those, the vast majority go unnoticed and cause no damage whatsoever.

Nonetheless, earthquakes are commonly considered among the most feared natural disasters due to their sudden, unpredictable nature and their potential to unleash incredible devastation. 

Learn about earthquakes, how they are measured, and the most impacted regions in the world on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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When you think of countries in Africa, it is unlikely that Gabon will be one of the first to cross your mind. 

It is entirely possible that some of you might never ever heard of Gabon. 

Considered “Earth’s last Eden,” Gabon is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, yet very little is known about it because not much has ever happened there to make it into the news.

In fact, one of the biggest things to have ever happened there took place 1.7 billion years ago.

Learn about the hist...

Modern fairy tales often conclude with a protagonist achieving their dreams and a simple "happily ever after." 

This popular image, often promoted by studios like Disney for family-friendly consumption, only scratches the surface of these classic narratives. 

In reality, many of these beloved stories boast far darker origins, featuring unsettling themes and grim endings that would be entirely unsuitable for children's movies.

Learn about the true stories behind popular fairytales on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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Alphonse Gabriel Capone, aka Al Capone, aka Scarface, is one of the most notorious gangsters in American history. 

Known for dominating Chicago’s underworld during prohibition, his criminal operation had a reach that extended throughout the United States. Capone cultivated a celebrity image while participating in violent criminal activity. Despite his wealth and fame, in the end, he died in prison.

Learn about the life and the criminal exploits of Al Capone on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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One of the most significant and long-lasting outcomes of World War I didn’t take place in Europe.

It was a reshuffling of the political order in the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant. 

During the war, various Arab tribes joined together to free themselves from centuries of Ottoman Rule. 

The legacy of the rebellion can still be seen in the map of the Middle East today. 

Learn more about the Great Arab Revolt on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In 1943, one of the most notable acts of Jewish resistance during World War II took place.

For nearly one month, residents of the Warsaw Ghetto fought against Nazi soldiers who were attempting to transport the residents to concentration camps. 

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, the largest single Jewish Revolt during the war, was well-organized, hard-fought, and a symbol of Jewish resilience. 

Learn about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and how it happened on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Prague is one of the truly great cities of Central Europe. 

Prague is noted for its preserved medieval and Baroque architecture, the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, the Astronomical Clock, and its Gothic Old Town.

In addition, it has one of the world’s greatest beer and brewing cultures.

They also happen to like to throw people out of windows. 

Learn more about the defenestrations of Prague, why they happened, and their impacts on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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January is upon us, the month that honors the Roman god Janus, the god of two faces. 

One face looked forward, and the other looked back. Janus was the god of beginning and ending wars. He was also the god of doors and bridges.
…and while I have absolutely no proof of this whatsoever, I also think that his two faces would have provided both questions and answers. 

Stay tuned for Questions and Answers: Volume 38 on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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From 1899 to 1900, China underwent a widespread and violent uprising. The revolt, a reaction against China’s exploitation by foreign powers, was decades in the making.

In response to the revolt, a group of eight nations joined together to put down the rebellion and ultimately subjected China to yet another humiliating treaty.

The rebellion wasn’t successful, but it laid the groundwork for the seismic changes that would shape the country during the 20th century. 

Learn more about the Boxer Rebellion and how it influenced China on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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You may have heard of many of the largest empires in world history. The Romans, the Mongols, the British, the Persians, the Ottomans, the Incas, and the Byzantines.

That last empire, however, the Byzantines, never actually existed.

How can one of the world’s greatest empires not have existed?

Learn more about the Byzantine Empire and why no one ever called it that during its existence on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In 1890, an obscure professor at the US Naval War College published a book that at first seemed fairly innocuous.

However, it turned out his book found an audience. An extremely powerful audience. 

Its success led to further research, which in turn ushered in a revolution in naval warfare, which influenced the world’s great powers for over a century.

Learn more about the Mahan Doctrine and how it influenced 20th-century warfare on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Episode 2001!

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The year 2000 was a milestone year. It was the end of a century and of a millennium. 

It was one of the rare years that was divisible by 100 and was a leap year.

In the previous 25 years, the world had radically changed. Empires fell, superpowers emerged, and technology had changed civilization. 

…and that year, a whole lot of people thought the world would end due to a computer bug. 

Learn more about the world in the year 2000 on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In the winter of 1776, things did not look good for the Continental Army. 

Everything got off to a great start in 1775, but this year saw a series of defeats at the hands of the British. 

Things were looking so bad that many Americans thought that the revolution was effectually over. 

If Washington was to keep the revolution going, he needed a miracle. 

He needed a Christmas miracle. 

Learn about the Battle of Trenton and the Christmas attack that kept the revolution alive on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
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Perhaps the preeminent symbol of Christmas is the Christmas tree. 

Christmas trees aren’t just a symbol of Christmas; the act of setting up a tree is an event, and the adornment of a tree often uses ornaments that have been passed down for generations. 
But why is cutting down an evergreen tree and draping it with doodads a Christmas tradition?

Learn more about the history of Christmas trees and how they came to represent the Christmas season on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is one of the best-known theories in psychology. 

First introduced in 1943, the theory posits that people have an innate desire to reach their maximum potential, but to achieve this goal, they must first have their basic needs met. 

These needs can be both physical and psychological, but they play a major role in understanding people’s motivations. 

Learn more about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, how they came to be, and how the psychology behind it can be used to explain human behavior on this episode of Everythin...

On January 13, 1888, a group of thirty-three prominent citizens, including geographers, explorers, teachers, lawyers, cartographers, military officers, and financiers, gathered at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC, to establish "a society for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge."

At first, the organization was more of a scholarly endeavor, but over time, it became one of the most popular brands dedicated to science, exploration, and discovery. 

Through its publications, it has allowed millions of people a glimpse of what life is like elsewhere in the world.

Learn more about National Geographic and its humble b...

The mid-19th century saw the rise of the first mass working-class political movement in British history.

Despite being a working-class movement, they sought reforms in the British political system, not necessarily economic. 

Their grievances were set out in six points, known as The People's Charter, which was signed by millions of people.

While their demands at the time were considered radical, they probably wouldn’t raise an eyebrow today.

Learn more about the Chartist Movement and their demands on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Sometime around 5,500 years ago, an event took place on the Eurasian steppes that fundamentally changed the world. 

We don’t know who did it or exactly when it took place, but it was one of the single greatest moments in all of human history. 

It ushered in revolutions in agriculture, transportation, and warfare, and its impact can still be witnessed around the world today.

Learn more about the domestication of the horse and how it impacted the world on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Located around the orbit of Jupiter is the moon Europa. 

It is the smallest of the Gallelian moons and the second closest to Jupiter. 

Despite being a moon, Europa might just be the most interesting body in the Solar System outside of Earth. 

According to some, Europa might be the best place in our solar system outside of Earth to find life.

Learn more about Europa, what we know about it, and the future of its exploration on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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In 1994, the nation of Rwanda endured a brutal 100-day spasm of violence that tore families apart and claimed the lives of over one million people.

Members of the ethnic minority Tutsi group were hunted down and murdered by members of the larger Hutu group. While this was the worst episode of violence between the two groups, it was not the first.

What added to the tragedy was that while the horrific events unfolded, the rest of the world stood by and did nothing. 

Learn about the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, why it happened, and h...

For thousands of years, diamonds have been among the most valuable substances on Earth. 

Diamonds are not only the hardest substances known, but they are also incredibly hard to find. 

However, in the last several decades, researchers have discovered ways to make diamonds in the lab, and they are now being made at scale. It has the potential to revolutionize multiple industries.

Learn more about synthetic diamonds and how they are forever changing the use and value of diamonds on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Perhaps the most well-known brand in the world is Coca-Cola. 

Best known for its cola soda, the company has become a global powerhouse in the soft drink market through its drink’s formula and visual branding.

Its products can be found in every country in the world except three, and the company has made a profit every year since its founding. 

Learn about the history of the Coca-Cola Company and how it conquered the world on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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Before the United States entered the Second World War in late 1941, the US wasn’t an active combatant, but it wasn't entirely neutral. 

In December 1940, after the Nazi invasion of France, President Franklin Roosevelt initiated a program to assist the British who were being assailed on all fronts by the Germans. 

He likened it to helping a neighbor out when their house was on fire.

The program continued throughout the war and changed the course of the entire conflict.

Learn more about Lend Lease and how America's industrial capacity shaped World War...

In 1188, a historic gathering took place in the city of Leon in the Kingdom of Castile. 

It was a kingdom-wide assembly convened by King Alfonso IX that brought together nobles, clergy, and town representatives to advise the crown.

It is significant because it is the earliest documented European assembly to include urban representatives and to formally limit royal power in writing.

Learn about the Cortes of Leon and how it helped establish parliamentary government and representative decision-making on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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One of the most important inventions in human history was the bow and arrow. 

A bow and arrow is a rather simple device, but it was a revolutionary advancement in humanity’s ability to hunt and fight. 

Unlike many early human inventions, the bow and arrow have had an extremely long lifespan. For thousands of years it remained virtually unchanged. That was until the last 100 years when this age old device changed dramatically. 

Learn more about the history of the bow and arrow and how it changed the world on this episode of Every...

Assuming everything goes well, sometime in late 2026, NASA’s next major space observatory will launch: The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

Assuming the launch and deployment go well, it will map large areas of the universe to understand why cosmic expansion is accelerating and how galaxies and dark matter evolved. 

It will also survey stars to discover thousands of planets, including cold and free-floating worlds, while testing technology for the direct imaging of planets around other stars. 

Learn more about the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and how it could revolutionize astronomy on this...

One of the most notable figures in early American history is Pocahontas.

Best known as the main character in Disney’s animated film Pocahontas, she was not a fictional character. She was, in fact, quite real. 

However, her real life is radically different from that depicted in popular culture. In fact, there are enormous discrepancies between the story and the real person. 

Learn about the real story of Pocahontas and how it differs from legend on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Sitting at the far top right of the periodic table is the element helium. 

Helium is the second-lightest and second-most abundant element in the universe. It is also an inert gas that doesn’t form molecules with anything. 

It has extremely few uses and, despite its cosmic abundance, is very hard to find on Earth.

Yet in the future, it might become one of the most valuable substances in the world.

Learn more about Helium, its discovery, its uses, and its potential future on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

Duration: 00:16:24

Almost a billion people in the world today speak a language that originated from Latin, aka a Romance Language. 

Despite sharing the same origin, the Romance languages have evolved differently, in some cases very differently. 

….and while you are almost certainly aware of the largest Romance language, there is a good chance that you have never heard of some of them that have thousands of speakers. 

Learn more about Romance Languages and how they developed on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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At some point, you might have been called, or might have called someone else a Luddite, due to a refusal to adopt a new technology.

Nowadays, it’s usually done in jest, but the Luddites were real. 

While the term is often used to describe any anti-technology attitude, the actual Luddite worldview was more subtle than simply opposing anything new and innovative. 

In some respects, the Luddite worldview has never gone away.

Learn more about the Luddites, what they did, and why on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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When looking at your neighbor's dachshund and your great dane, it is hard to believe that these dogs trace back to the same ancestors. Yet, this is true!

Through centuries of domestication and selective breeding, humans have transformed dogs into the most diverse mammal species known today.

Yet, despite the incredible diversity in dog breeds, remarkably, they are all members of the same species.

Learn about how different dog breeds developed on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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During the Second World War, the United States embarked on one of the greatest science and engineering projects the world had ever seen. 

Over 125,000 people took part in the program, the vast majority of which had no clue what it was for, and the total cost of the program was over a billion dollars at a time when a billion dollars was a lot of money. 

The end result was the most devastating weapon ever created, and it fundamentally changed the world.

Learn more about the Manhattan Project and how the atomic bo...

Wars can be fought in many different ways. Ultimately, they are resolved on the battlefield.

However, there are other ways to try to subdue an enemy. You can try to destroy their logistical support for their troops. You can attempt to destroy their economic base by burning their agricultural fields and destroying their factories. 

However, one relatively recent innovation has been to try to destroy an enemy’s money supply. 

Learn about Operation Bernhard and the Nazi operation to counterfit the British Pound on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

One of the most ubiquitous items of clothing in formal and business attire is the necktie. 

Yet even a cursory check of paintings from several centuries ago shows that neckties have not been around forever. They are, in fact, a relatively recent invention. 

Over the last century, neckwear has both defined fashion and changed with the times. 

Learn more about neckties, how they developed, and why they exist in the first place on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, better known as NASCAR, has become one of the most recognizable and uniquely American forms of motorsport. 

It emerged from the traditions of the rural South, shaped by the ingenuity of moonshine runners and the broader story of the American car. 

Over time, the sport transformed into a highly sophisticated enterprise defined by advanced engineering, stringent safety standards, and massive commercial investment. 

Learn more about NASCAR, its origins, and its development over the years on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Nintendo is one of the most legendary video game companies in the world.

Many of you have probably owned a Nintendo system to play video games. If you are old enough, you might have even played some of their games in a video arcade. 

Even if you have never played a video game, through cultural osmosis, you are probably still aware of many of its popular characters, like Mario and Donkey Kong.

Learn about the history of Nintendo and how a 19th-century company wound up making video games on this episode of E...

By 1975, the world had seen 25 years of radical change. The changes seen in the first half of the 20th century accelerated even faster. Empires ended, there were social and technical revolutions, new nations were created, humans landed on the moon, and the world was in the midst of peak Cold War. 

Energy, inflation, and civil rights, which had always been issues, were now front and center. 

Learn more about the world in the year 1975 on the 1,975th episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In the north, things are getting colder, snow is starting to fall, and the days are getting shorter.
It is also the season for gift-giving. 

As I can’t personally give all of you a customized gift, I can do the next best thing and answer your questions. 

Stay tuned for the 37th installment of questions and answers on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Panama is best known as the location of the Panama Canal, the waterway that revolutionized international sea transportation.

However, there is a lot more to the country. Its history is unlike any other nation in the Americas, and its path to independence was unusual to say the least. 

Given its location, it also has a geography unlike any other country in the world. 

Learn about the history of Panama on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Fascism is one of the most notorious political ideologies that shaped the 20th century.

Fascism is typically only thought of in tandem with Nazi Germany, but it wasn’t the only country that adhered to the ideology, and they weren’t even the first.  The originator was Italy. 

Despite many similarities between fascist Italy and Germany, the two nations developed forms of fascism with significant ideological differences. 

Learn about Italian and German fascism, their differences and similarities, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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The French Revolution was one of the most significant events in history. 

It wasn’t just a political revolution where one government replaced another. It was also a social revolution where the revolutionaries attempted to upend the entire foundation of French society.

But it wasn’t just enough to change France. There were also efforts to obliterate France’s past. 

Learn more about the Desecration at St. Denis and the purposeful attempt to destroy French history on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In the early 1960s, the United States was always a step behind the Soviet Union in the space race. 

By the mid-1960s, the Americans had caught up. They didn’t have many glamorous firsts, but they were doing increasingly difficult things in space.

All of that came crashing to a halt on January 27, 1967, when three astronauts died in what was a seemingly routine training exercise. 

Learn more about the Apollo 1 Disaster, how it happened, and how it influenced the future of the Apollo program on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

Duration: 00:14:16

Almost every country in the world uses the metric system…..almost.

There are still a few stragglers, like the United States, who use units handed down to them from the British. These are known as Imperial Units.

These units often confuse those living in countries that use the metric system….as well as those who live in countries that use Imperial Units. 

They don’t often make sense. They don’t have any consistency between units, and their histories are quite murky.

Learn more about imperial units and how they were developed...

For over a century, people have enjoyed the thrill of visiting an amusement park and riding roller coasters.

The very first thing we can point to and call a proto-roller coaster had neither rollers nor did it coast. It was more of a slide.

Over time, Roller coasters have evolved into massive steel giants, testing the limits of physics and engineering to create thrilling, unique rides that thrill some and terrify others. 

Learn more about the history and development of roller coasters on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In the 1860s, one of the bloodiest wars in the Western Hemisphere took place….and it wasn’t the US Civil War. 

It was a war between Paraguay and an alliance of Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil, and it was one of the bloodiest ever fought in Latin America.

It was a conventional war that resulted in a guerrilla war, which spawned famine and disease.

Learn more about the Paraguayan War or the War of the Triple Alliance on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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One of the most important empires in history was the Ottoman Empire. 

It wasn’t the biggest empire, but it had an outsized impact on the world due to its strategic location and its moment in history. 

The Ottomans shocked the world by capturing the city of Constantinople and later almost conquering much of Central Europe.

Despite having a six-hundred-year run, as with all empires, it eventually weakened and collapsed.

Learn more about the Ottoman Empire, its rise and its fall, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

In July 1942, Japanese forces landed on the north shore of the island of New Guinea 

Their goal was to cross the island by land and take the strategic city of Port Moresby. 

If they had been successful, the entire fate of the war in the Pacific would have altered. 

They didn’t take it, thanks to the tenacious resistance put up by Australian forces. 

Learn more about the Kokoda Track and how it turned the war in the Pacific on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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Companies that sell products to the public have to follow a fine line. 

On the one hand, they need to sell stuff to make money, and the way they do that is by making a good product. 

However, if their product is too good, then people might not need to buy it again, or at least not for a long time. 

Almost 100 years ago, a consortium of industrialists plotted to make their products worse just so people would buy more of them.

Learn more about the Phoebus Cartel and planned obsolescence on...

At the end of the Second World War, Europe was a mess. The economies of most countries were in shambles and the threat of communism loomed over the continent. 

In a speech at Harvard University on June 5, 1947, U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall proposed a plan which could help get Europe back on its feet.
The plan is widely considered one of the most successful foreign aid programs in history.

Learn more about the Marshall Plan, how it came about, and how it worked on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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There are several rules that should be followed when going to war:

There is also one other rule that should be added to that list: Don’t count on Switzerland as an ally.

For over two centuries, Switzerland has remained staunchly neutral, even when wars were being fought just over its borders. 

Learn more about Swiss neutrality and what that means on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

In 1953, a newspaper delivery boy in Brooklyn, New York, made an odd discovery. One of his customers gave him a nickel that seemed lighter than the others. 

When he dropped it, it popped open, exposing a small piece of microfilm. It was the bizarre beginning of the exposure and discovery of a spy ring in the United States that ultimately contributed to one of the most notable events in the entire Cold War. 

Learn more about the Hollow Nickel Case and how a random discovery led to the discovery of a spy ring on this ep...

The Second World War saw the development of many new weapons. Perhaps none was more terrifying than the development of long-range strategic rockets. 

Rockets had been used in combat for centuries, dating back to their development in ancient China; however, the rockets developed by Germany were a different matter altogether. 

They terrorized civilians in England and actually served as the starting point of the space race. 

Learn more about the V1 and V2 rockets and the Nazi rocket program on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Alexander Hamilton was a U.S founding father who has been growing in popularity due to the popular musical Hamilton, by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Hamilton was the first U.S Secretary of the Treasury and was foundational in the formation of American finance and government policies that remain in place to this day. 

He is featured on the US Ten Dollar Bill and is one of the most famous Founding Fathers who never held elected office.

Learn about Alexander Hamilton, the “10-dollar founding father without a father,” on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
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Sometime around the year 1450, a monk living just outside of Venice created one of the greatest maps of the medieval world. 

It was an enormous map, even by modern standards, and it had a level of detail that had never been seen before. 

It took years to make and was a major advancement in cartography. 

Perhaps most importantly, it contained many details that no one had yet verified firsthand. 

Learn more about the Fra Mauro map, how it was created, and its significance on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

Duration: 00:14:34

Located in Central Java, outside of the modern city of Yogyakarta, lies the world’s largest Buddhist temple, Borobudur. 

Borobudur doesn’t get as much attention as other great monuments in the world, but it should certainly be included among them. 

Unlike other great monuments, Borobudur has a distinction that no other monument has. It disappeared, quite literally, for several centuries. 

Learn more about Borobudur, its history, and its significance on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Lego is one of the best-known toy brands in the world. 

Known for its fun and complex building process, the small plastic bricks encourage creativity and playability, and have become a staple in most households with kids.

However, they aren’t just free-form toys for children. They have also graduated into high-end items for adults. In fact, some sets of these simple toys can now cost thousands of dollars. 

Learn more about Legos and how the company started and grew on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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Just 60 years ago, Dubai was a sandy, underpopulated port on a minor creek emptying into the Persian Gulf. 

Today, it is one of the most important cities in the world. It is a global center for trade, finance, and transportation. 

How did a random sandy outpost location in the Middle East end up becoming such an important global city in such a short period of time? 

It didn’t happen by accident.

Learn more about Dubi and how it went from nothing to becoming one of the most important cities in the w...

For thousands of years, human beings have created works of art. Many of these works are commissioned by rulers, merchants, or religious leaders. 

Over time, many of these great works have found their way into the hands of art museums. 

Museums allow everyone to enjoy and appreciate art that has been produced around the world over the course of centuries.

However, not all museums are created equal.

Learn more about the world's greatest art museums and what makes them great on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In the mid-19th century, China experienced its greatest civil war. 

It was a conflict that set China on a course that eventually led to China’s Century of Humiliation and the fall of the Qing Dynasty.

It wasn’t just a massive civil war; in terms of total lives lost, it was far and away the largest war in history up until that point, and by some estimates, it might even have been as or more devastating than the world wars of the 20th century. 

Yet, despite being one of the greatest confli...

During the Second World War, the Germans used what they thought was an uncrackable encryption system. 

It was a really good encryption system, and for the longest time, the Allies had a difficult time cracking the code. 

However, thanks to brilliant code breakers, a powerful computing machine, and German mistakes, the Allies were finally able to break the code. 

Learn more about the Enigma Code and how it was broken on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Located on the Baltic Sea, sandwiched between the nations of Lithuania and Poland, is the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Kaliningrad, as it is today, does not have a deep history. For most of its history, it was known as Königsberg.

The reason it exists at all dates back to the Teutonic Knights in the Middle Ages and the aftermath of two world wars in the 20th century. 

Today, its status is unique to say the least, and it has the potential to become a geopolitical flashpoint.

Learn more about Kaliningrad an...

In the year 1950, the world was halfway through the 20th century. 

In the 25 years prior, the world had seen the greatest economic downturn in modern history and the greatest war the world had ever known. 

New technologies were being developed, and many previous technologies were making their way into the hands of regular people, radically transforming their lives. 

On top of all of that, the entire world was about to embark on a total reordering of the geopolitical order. 

Learn more about the world in the year 1950 and the changes that occu...

One of the most powerful forces in economics and finance is compound interest. 

Not everyone understands compound interest, even though they may reap its benefits or suffer its consequences. 

Compounding has the potential to build fortunes and wreck empires. The effects of compounding are also not limited to interest payments. It can apply to a great many things in and out of the natural world.

Learn more about compound interest, how it works and its awesome potential on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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On May 7, 1915, nearly a year into the First World War, the British steamship RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat off the southern coast of Ireland.

Over 1,100 people were killed, many of whom were civilians from the United States who were not participants in the war.

Although the loss of life in the attack was great, the sinking of the Lusitania stands out due to its indirect role in encouraging the United States to enter the conflict.  

Learn about the sinking of the Lusitania and its impact on World War I on...

Many people think that the closest the world ever came to nuclear war was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. 

To be sure, that was a very tenuous point in history. 

However, there is a good argument to be made that the closest the world has come to nuclear war actually took place in 1969. The reason most people are unaware of what happened is that it had nothing to do with the United States. 

It was two other nuclear powers who almost went to war.

Learn more about the 1969 Sino-Soviet Border Conflict, how...

In 1913, the United States created its third national bank. 

Unlike the previous two, this bank was organized in a completely different manner. It was organized differently, in an effort to avoid the problems of the previous national banks. 

Also, unlike the previous national banks, the creation of the Federal Reserve was not done openly and subject to public debate. It was created using secrets and subterfuge.

Learn more about the creation of the Federal Reserve and the very odd way it was created on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

Known for its beautiful beaches, vast history, and unique culture, the Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean's crown jewels.

However, it has had a history totally unlike its neighbors. Even Haiti, which shares an island with the Dominican Republic, went down a totally different path. 

Today, the Dominican Republic is a relatively stable, prosperous country, yet its past has been marked by violence, political turmoil, and chaos. 

Learn about the history of the Dominican Republic on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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November, the 9th month of the Roman calendar and the 11th month in our calendar, is upon us.

It is the month when we think of turkeys, pilgrims, and when the weather gets colder. 

It is also the month when people will fight each other to the death for discount television sets on Black Friday. 

Most importantly, it is the month where you ask questions and I answer them. 

Stay tuned for the 36th installment of questions and answers on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Pumpkins are a staple of the autumn season, used in events like Halloween and Thanksgiving as symbols of the holidays and in various culinary dishes. 

Pumpkins, which are technically a fruit, not a vegetable, are one of the oldest domesticated plants in the world and have been used for centuries in various ways. 

Today, it is the basis for pumpkin spice, which can be found in almost everything.

Learn about pumpkins and why the fruit has become such a symbol on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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During the First World War, most of the attention, at least in the West, was focused on the Western Front. 

However, the Western Front was not the only front in the war. There were actually multiple fronts, including the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans, and Italy.

However, the largest of these non-Western fronts was in the East. In a front extending from the Baltic to the Black Sea. The war in the East was almost as brutal as in the West, with casualties almost as high. 

Learn more about the Eastern Front in Wo...

One of the most popular forms of fiction today involves zombies. There are TV shows, movies, and books that all envision life during a zombie apocalypse. 

Zombie stories are a relatively new form of fiction. However, zombies didn’t come out of nowhere. 

They have a basis in legend, religion, and fact….. well, sort of fact. 

Learn more about zombies, their origins, and how they have been portrayed in media on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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On October 28, 1929, a day known as Black Monday, the New York Stock Exchange suffered its greatest one-day loss in history. 

The next day, known as Black Tuesday, the market dropped even further, registering the second biggest one-day loss in history. 

This was the start of an extended bear market that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average drop 89% in just under three years and ushered in the period we know as the Great Depression. 

Learn more about the 1929 Stock Market crash, its causes, and its ramifications on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Located in an arch sweeping to the east and south of the Marina Islands and Guam is the deepest part of the ocean, the Mariana Trench. 

Running over 2,500 kilometers or 1,200 miles, the very deepest part of the trench is known as Challenger Deep. 

At the very bottom of the sea, there is no light, temperatures are almost freezing, and the pressure is enough to crush almost anything that might make it down there.  

It is so inhospitable that the number of people who have ever been there is about the number who have walk...

In the 13th century, a French knight came forward and displayed what he claimed was the burial cloth of Jesus Christ.

Almost immediately, its authenticity was challenged by religious authorities. 

In the centuries that followed, it became an object of fascination, curiosity, veneration, and controversy.

Finally, after centuries of conflicting opinions, scientists were allowed access to the cloth to date it, but even that didn’t end the debate.

Learn more about the Shroud of Turin and its history on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

Spo...

On November 30, 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland. 

The Soviet Union forced the Finns to sue for peace after three months of fighting, and on paper, one could conclude that the Soviets won. 

However, despite the supposed military victory, the Soviets' performance and the resistance they faced severely damaged their reputation as a military force to be taken seriously. 

It was something that other European leaders took notice of. 

Learn about the Winter War on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In the years following the end of the Second World War, the post-war world that many in the West hoped for never materialized. 

Their former ally, the Soviet Union, turned from friend to foe. They installed puppet communist governments in all of the countries they occupied when pushing their way to Germany, and now the concern was that the Soviets would try to take over the rest of Europe. 

In response, twelve nations in Western Europe and North America joined together in a military alliance, the likes of which hadn’t been seen before in hist...

In November 1989, the world changed when the Berlin Wall came down, marking the beginning of the unraveling of the Iron Curtain.

Almost a month later, on December 16, 1989, Romania faced a sudden revolution that led to the fall of its central government in just over a week. 

While Romania was one of many Eastern European Communist countries that revolted in 1989, the revolution there, unlike those in other countries, was violent and deadly. 

Learn more about the 1989 Romanian Revolution and how it unfolded on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Around 12,900 years ago, the last ice age was ending. Things were warming up, and the glaciers were starting to recede. …and then something happened. 

For about 1,200 years, the climate reversed and got colder again. 

When this cooling trend ended and the ice age was finally over, it also happened to coincide with the rise of agriculture and human civilization. 

Learn more about the Younger Dryas, some of its possible causes, and how it impacted humanity on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Almost everyone has had popcorn and some of you have even probably had some recently.

Popcorn can be made at home, can be purchased pre packaged in stores, and has been tightly associated with movie theaters. 

Yet, despite seeming like a rather modern snack, popcorn has actually been around for thousands of years. It exists because of a unique attribute of corn.

Learn about the history of popcorn and how it has become one of the most popular snacks in the world on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

...

One of the biggest advances in space flight right now is happening with the development of Starship.

Starship is the largest rocket ever flown, but it is fundamentally different than all other rockets that have come before it. Its intent is to be fully reusable. 

This has the potential to completely revolutionize spaceflight and dramatically reduce the cost of bringing cargo to orbit. 

We aren’t there yet, but we’re getting close.

Learn more about Starship and its latest advancements on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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After years of war throughout the continent of Europe, in 1814, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated and was exiled to the small island of Elba off the coast of Italy. 

The European powers thought that they had seen the last of Napoleon. However, they were wrong. 

He came back and, in a shockingly short period of time, regained control of France and its army. 

Learn more about Napoleon’s 100 Days and the last gasp of the Emperor of the French on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In 1966, the People’s Republic of China entered what became one of the most tumultuous periods in its history. 

In a spasm of revolutionary upheaval primarily led by students, almost everyone in the country, including high-ranking communist officials, was a potential target for public humiliation, denunciations, torture, and hard labor. 

The result was an entire generation of Chinese whose educations and careers were lost, and who vowed never to let political extremism run amok again.

Learn more about the Cultural Revolution, what caused it, and what its purpose was on this episode of Ever...

In the mid-19th century, the French Emperor Napoleon III requested the creation of a product similar to butter but cheaper. 

The result was dubbed margarine. 

Over the years, the ingredients that made up margarine changed radically, all the while becoming closer to butter in both looks and consistency. 

However, it has faced resistance almost its entire life, and at times it was outright banned. 

Learn more about margarine, why it was created, and its odd history on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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1968 marked the beginning of one of the most infamous killing sprees in American history.

For two years, Northern California was terrorized by a series of seemingly random murders. It wasn’t just the killings that terrorized people; it was the fact that the killer taunted the police and the media through a series of cryptic letters sent to newspapers. 

Over 50 years later, the case still hasn’t been closed and remains one of the most notorious unsolved crimes in American history. 

Learn about the Zodiac Killer, what we know, and speculation surrounding it on thi...

On September 2, 31 BC, one of the most important battles in history took place off the coast of Greece. 

The forces of Octavian, the posthumously adopted son of Julius Caesar, squared off against the forces of Mark Antony, the former right-hand man of Julius Caesar. 

After having been partners in ruling Rome for years, the two developed irreconcilable differences that had to be resolved on the battlefield. 

The outcome of the battle influenced the course of the Roman Empire for centuries. 

Learn more about the Battle of Actium, what caused it, and how...

Every year, the Nobel Prize committee awards the Nobel Prize in accordance with the will of Alfred Nobel. 

Save for the years where there have been world wars, the prize has been given annually since 1901. 

The 2025 prizes have just been announced, and each recipient has made a unique contribution for which they have been recognized.

Learn more about the 2025 Nobel Prize recipients and the work that they were recognized for on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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If you look at the grand sweep of human history, there are centuries where seemingly little happens, and there are decades where centuries take place. 

The first 25 years of the 20th century were one of the most intense periods of change in history. 

Empires fell, social norms were overturned, science and technology made radical advances, and the world experienced its greatest war ever. 

Learn more about the world in the year 1925 and how much it changed since 1900 on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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On January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution was passed. It banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol. 

The path to the 18th Amendment was something that was almost a century in the making, and once it was passed, it was widely ignored both illegally and through numerous legal loopholes. 

Finally, after being in place for almost 14 years, it was repealed with overwhelming popular support using a constitutional method that has never been used before or since.

Learn more about prohibition, how it came about, and how it ended on this ep...

The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit is one of the best-known and most important units within the bureau. 

The use of profiling and psychology to apprehend criminals has revolutionized how we understand and identify them.

It has also been the subject of popular TV shows, such as Criminal Minds and Mindhunter, and movies like The Silence of the Lambs. 

However, it is not without controversy. In fact, there are some people who think it doesn’t work at all.

Learn about the development of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and how agen...

Many filmmakers are known for small signatures that they always put inside their films. Alfred Hitchcock always used himself in a cameo. George Lucas always found a way to integrate the number 1138. Quentin Tarrentio almost always mentions the fictional "Big Kahuna Burger."

And Stan Lee, of course, has found his way into every Marvel Movie.

However, there is one film signature that is shared by a wide range of movie makers and has appeared in hundreds of films. You’ve probably come across it even if you didn’t realize it.

Learn more abou...

When computers were first created, they were enormous.
They would often take up the better part of a building, and they consumed large amounts of energy. 

Despite the size of these early computers, some people saw a future where computers would shrink down small enough that they could fit inside a person’s home. 

Some thought that idea was ridiculous. Not only was that prediction true, but it changed everything. 

Learn more about the history of personal computing and how it developed on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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In the midst of the Great Depression, the City of St. Louis wanted to create a monument to the city’s role in the westward expansion of the United States and general waterfront improvement.

It took thirty years, but they eventually created their monument with the assistance of the Federal Government. When it was completed, it was a structure like no other on Earth. 

It was a 660-foot-tall freestanding stainless steel arch. It required innovations not just in design and architecture, but in materials, construction, and even elevators. 

Learn more about the Gate...

Bhutan is a small country sitting in the heart of the Himalayas.

Best known for its stunning location and its connection to Buddhism, Bhutan was one of the most isolated and undeveloped countries in the world. 

However, over the last 20 years, it has experienced rapid development and has taken steps to integrate itself into the global community. In the process, they have introduced several policies that are not found anywhere else. 

Learn about the history and development of Bhutan on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Every day, everyone who uses the internet uses the Domain Name System.

The key to the domain name system lies in the highest level of the system, the top-level domains. These are the domains such as .com, .org, and .net.

While you are probably very familiar with a few of these, there are actually a lot more. A whole lot more. 

A lucky few top-level domain name holders actually managed to hit the jackpot. 

Learn more about top-level domain names and how they are organized and distributed on this episode of Ev...

For thousands of years, humans all around the world have coveted gemstones. 

Gemstones have been used as symbols of authority by kings, queens, and emperors, have been central to religious ceremonies, and have served as adornments for the wealthy. 

While you may have heard of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, what exactly are they, and where do they come from?

Learn more about gemstones, what they are and how they’ve been used throughout history on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. 

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The rise of civilization is one of the most remarkable and important moments in human history. 

However, it didn’t happen one time in one place. It occurred multiple times in multiple locations.  

Historians and archaeologists have identified six distinct civilizations that developed independently of one another, all of which have, in one way or another, contributed to the civilization we live in today. 

Learn more about the six cradles of civilization, what they were, and how they developed on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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In 1803, one of the most significant real estate transactions in world history occurred. 

France, under Napoleon Bonepart, sold approximately 530 million acres of territory in the middle of North America to the newly founded United States.

The reasons for France's selling and the United States' buying were varied, and they attracted considerable controversy on both sides of the Atlantic.In the end, however, some deals are just too good to pass up.

Learn more about the Louisiana Purchase, the reasons behind it, and how it shaped history on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Duration: 00:16:48