Poinsettias Have Gone By A Whole Lot Of Names Over Time
Cuetlaxochitl, flor de Noche Buena, poinsettia, estrella federal… here’s the story of a plant with a lot of names.
Sputnik Kicked Off The Space Age, And Also Gave Us The Word “Beatnik”
Today in 1957, Sputnik because the world’s first artificial satellite. This changed the world around us in countless ways, including one that doesn’t get a lot of attention: it gave the English language a brand new word.
The Distress Call Mayday Doesn’t Have Anything To Do With May
Yes, today is a day in the month of May, but that's not where the international distress call "Mayday" comes from. We'll fill you in on the actual backstory.
A Boycott Against Charles Boycott Gave Us The Word “Boycott”
Today in 1832, the birthday of Charles Boycott, whose name has been used for over a century anytime people decide to deliberately take their business away from a group or a company.
How “Hello” Became The English Language’s Way Of Saying Hello
Today is World Hello Day, so we explain how and when English speakers started using the word "hello" to say hello.
Why We Don’t Pronounce The Last S In Arkansas
Today in 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state in the Union. It’s one of just a handful of states whose names sound different than they’re spelled. And if you’re wondering why it’s pronounced Arkan-saw instead of Ar-kansas, well, that’s what we’re here to explain.
Why Don’t We Pronounce The First D In Wednesday?
It's the first Wednesday of the new year. How come many of us don’t pronounce it “WED-ns-day”?
Pitcher Ray Caldwell Was Struck By Lightning During A Game But Won Anyway
Today in 1919, one of the strangest moments in the history of baseball: a pitcher won a game in which he was struck by lightning!
Here’s Some Trivia About The Word Trivia
This daily podcast is like a study group for trivia players. So today we're going to give you some trivia about the word trivia!
An Online Dictionary For Science Fiction’s Many Words And Worlds
A new website called the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction is taking us back through the words that have made sci-fi what it is and showing how much this genre has shaped popular culture.