Potpourri Volume I: Survival

Potpourri Volume I: Survival

Transcript In the course of doing research for shows, I often come across interesting facts that wouldn’t really make for an entire episode. They are really interesting, but I’m not sure how I could turn it into even a short daily podcast like this one.  So, the solution was to create an episode where I …

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The History of the Dollar as a Currency

The History of the Dollar as a Currency

Transcript The currency in the United States is the dollar. You probably already knew that. It is also the name of the currency in over 20 other countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. What is a dollar exactly, and why is that the name of the currency in these countries?  Learn more about …

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Who Discovered Calculus?

Who Discovered Calculus?

Transcript For the last 300 years, a debate has raged between mathematicians about who should be credited with the invention of calculus: Sir Isaac Newton or Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. The sides of the debate have mostly been based on geography with English mathematicians advocating for Newton, and Continental Europeans siding with Leibniz.  Learn more about …

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Common Fallacies and Fallacious Reasoning

Common Fallacies and Fallacious Reasoning

Transcript We are often told that schools are where you learn how to think, not what to think. Sadly, almost no school curriculum deals directly with logic and the closely related subject of logical fallacies.  Fallacies are all around us. Just read something online or watch a few minutes of television and you’ll probably encounter …

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The Fosbury Flop

The Fosbury Flop

Transcript At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Dick Fosbury won the Gold Medal in the men’s high jump.  He did it by jumping an Olympic record 2.24 meters or 7 feet, four inches.  What was remarkable about his accomplishment wasn’t the height he jumped, but how it did it. He didn’t just win a …

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An Incredibly Bright Idea: The History of the Light Bulb

An Incredibly Brilliant Idea: The History of the Light Bulb

Transcript Thomas Edison is often credited with the invention of the light bulb. Yet, nothing could be further from the truth. If there is any modern invention that really can’t be attributed to a single person, it would be the incandescent lightbulb.  Learn about the history behind the incandescent light bulb, perhaps the most significant …

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This Week in Travel – Episode 266

This week Jen Leo, Chris Christensen, and I are joined by this week’s guest Nora Dunn from The Professional Hobo. We talk about long term travel, getting free accommodations, and long term train travel. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts This Week’s News CEO announces United Airlines is permanently dropping ticket change fees in the U.S. First …

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The Two-Hour Marathon

Transcript Eliud Kipchoge is unquestionably the greatest marathon runner in history. He’s won an Olympic Gold Medal, holds the world’s record, and has won 12 of the 13 marathons he has ever entered. However, there was one accomplishment that had been out of reach for Kipchoge and every other marathoner: The 2-hour marathon. On October …

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The Transatlantic Cable

The Transatlantic Cable

Transcript Today the world can communicate with text, images, audio, and video at the speed of light. Most of this is done via undersea fiber optic cables which connect the various continents to each other. All of this modern long-distance communication has its start with the first transatlantic telegraph cable. The first long-distance submarine communications …

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