Clyde Stubblefield, Music’s Original Funky Drummer
Today in 1969, at a session for soul and funk icon James Brown, drummer Clyde Stubblefield laid down what's probably the most sampled beat of all time.
What Is The Deal With This Bathroom On The Cal Poly Campus
For World Toilet Day, we turn our attention to a bathroom at California Polytechnic State University that's unusual even for that campus.
Touch Tone Phones Freed Callers From All That Rotary Dialing
Today in 1963, AT&T launched the first commercial telephone service where customers could use touch-tone devices instead of rotary dial. It started with just two communities in western Pennsylvania, but of course it spread, way way beyond that.
Australia’s Navy Helped Save A Six Year Old’s Life By Enlisting Her
Today in 1920, the Royal Australian Navy added a woman to its ranks for the very first time. Her name was Nancy Bentley, she was six years old, and the Navy “enlisted” her in an effort to save her life.
Movie Star Veronica Lake Gave Up Her Trademark Hairstyle For The War Effort
Today in 1919 (or, by some accounts, 1922), the birthday of Veronica Lake, a movie star whose iconic hairstyle won over millions of fans, even when she gave up that trademark look to help the US win World War II.
The Really (Expletive) Complicated History Of Swearing On TV
Today in 1965, a landmark moment in the history of televised profanity: an f-bomb live on the BBC! We'll look back at some choice moments where people used choice words on the air.
The Leonid Meteor Storm Of 1833 Was “The Night The Stars Fell”
Tonight in 1833, the beginning of a bright show in the evening sky, one that was so bright and so busy, some people started to freak out about it.
Doug Hegdahl’s Razor-Sharp Memory Helped Hundreds Of American POWs In Vietnam
By using his incredibly sharp memory, Douglas Hegdahl was able to memorize (and later share) information about hundreds of American POWs, in the hopes of keeping them safer and healthier until they could come home.
The Black Dog That Helped Inspire Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog”
Today in 1971, the release of the fourth Led Zeppelin album. The opening track, "Black Dog," still gets played and shared today, and it got its name from a very unusual visitor to the studio.
When Theodore Roosevelt Got A Full Term As President, He Also Got Two Ostriches
On Election Day 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt won 56 percent of the popular vote, a huge majority in the Electoral College, and two ostriches. No, really.