Category: DailyShorts

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Everything Everywhere Daily - Infinity and Beyond

The biggest thing there is and the biggest thing there can be is infinity. It literally has no bounds. In fact, thinking about infinity can quickly give you a nosebleed because our finite minds can’t really grasp just how enormous it really is. However, what if I were to tell you that there is something even bigger than infinity? Or, to be more accurate, there are infinities that are bigger than other infinities? 

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Curious City - Chicago’s Tornado-Proof Delusion

In 1967 a tornado hit the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn. It’s been a defining moment in the village’s history. Thirty three people were killed that day, 500 were injured. There was at least $40 million in damages in 1967 which, adjusted for inflation, would amount to more than $250 million today. More recently a tornado damaged more than 200 homes in suburban Chicago, including heavily populated Naperville. But despite their proximity to Chicago, lots of Chicagoans still believe a tornado won’t actually hit the city. In this episode we speak with survivors of the 67 tornado and bust some myths about why cities like Chicago aren’t immune to one of nature’s most violent storms.
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Everything Everywhere Daily - The Eiffel Tower

In 1889, a new exhibit was constructed for the Paris World’s Fair. It completely dominated the Paris skyline. Most people considered it an eyesore and an architectural abomination. The only redeeming thing about it in their mind was the fact that it was only temporary and was going to be torn down after the fair was over. But it never was, and today it has become the iconic symbol for the city. Learn more about the Eiffel Tower on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Everything Everywhere Daily - Objects of State: US Edition

Every government had objects which central to their functioning. These are items, physical objects, usually steeped in history and tradition which are involved in the mythology of the state. In most countries, these objects are often given the status of religious relics, and in some countries, they might actually be religious relics. The United States is no exception. Learn more about the American objects of state in this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Everything Everywhere Daily - The Sibylline Books

What do you do when you are facing a crisis? Perhaps you might consult a friend, or maybe some sort of expert? Well, the ancient Romans had a go-to source for advice whenever they a major problem. And the advice they got was…...different. Learn more about The Sibylline Books, and how they gave the Romans advice during times of crisis, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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Everything Everywhere Daily - Global Temperature Extremes

Every so often you might hear something on the news about a record high or low temperature being set. Usually, these might be records for a particular month, or maybe for a particular place. Temperature records, especially global records, can be very contentious and there are rigid rules surrounding how such recordings are taken. Some temperature records might take years to be verified.

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Everything Everywhere Daily - Supernovas: They’re a Blast

One of the brightest things in the universe is caused by one of the most powerful explosions in the universe: a supernova. While they don’t happen very often, they were known to ancient peoples and their appearance would often be recorded because they were such a rare and special event. Today, astrophysicists have a much better understanding of what supernovas are and how they can help us better understand the rest of the universe.

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Everything Everywhere Daily - Concorde: The Fastest Passenger Airplane in the World

Almost as soon as Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in 1947, people began thinking of ways to transport passengers at supersonic speeds. However, the challenges in creating a passenger aircraft that could travel at supersonic speeds were much greater than making a fighter aircraft that could do the same. In 1976, a British/French consortium launched the inaugural flight of the most successful supersonic passenger aircraft in history. Learn more about the Concorde

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Everything Everywhere Daily - Jeanne Calment: The World’s Oldest Person?

On August 4, 1997, Jeanne Calment passed away in Arles, France. At the time, it was reported that she was 122 years and 164 days old. No one else has ever been verified to have ever even lived to the age of 120. However, in the years since her passing, many people have begun to question her story. Not only might she not have been a supercentenarian, but she might not have even been a centenarian at all.

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Curious City - How Clean Is The Water At Chicago’s Beaches?

It’s that time of the year where we can all finally hit the beach. But our listeners have a lot of questions about Chicago’s beaches. Like, how clean is the water? How much poop is in there? And why are some flotation devices banned? Curious City’s Monica Eng puts on her sun visor and a good deal of sunscreen and tracks down the answers.