Trivia People

On this date in 2009, Greenland assumed self-rule as an autonomous region of Denmark. Here are some things you may not have known about Greenland. Greenland is the largest island in the world. But it’s probably not  as big as you think. In the common Mercator map projection, the country appears to be about the same size as Africa. In […]

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On this date in 1963, the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to establish direct communication between Washington and Moscow. Here are some things you may not have known about the hotline. One inspiration for the hotline was the novel “Red Alert,” which dealt with a nuclear standoff between the two countries. During the The Cuban […]

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On this date in 1944, Iceland declared its independence from Denmark and became a republic. Here are some things you may not have known about Iceland. Iceland is located in the northern Atlantic Ocean, between Scandinavia and Greenland. The first permanent settler was Ingolfr Arnarson, who arrived on the island in 874. By 930, the Icelandic parliament was formed and […]

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On this date in 1884, the first purpose-built roller coaster opened on New York’s Coney Island. Here are some things you may not have known about that first roller coaster and those that have followed it. The origins of roller coasters can be traced to attractions called Russian mountains, which were hills of ice with slides reinforced by wooden supports. […]

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On this date in 1667, the first blood transfusion into a human took place. Here are some things you may not have known about the procedure. The 1667 transfusion was performed by French physician Jean-Baptiste Denys. He transferred blood from a sheep into a 15-year-old boy. Later he also did the same procedure on an adult. Both patients survived, likely […]

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On this date in 1943, a patent for the ballpoint pen was awarded to Laszlo Biro. Here are some things you may not have known about the world’s most-used writing implement. Biro’s patent wasn’t the first for the concept. In 1888, John J. Loud of Massachusetts patented a pen to write on wood, leather and other surfaces that common fountain […]

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On June 9, 1934, Donald Duck made his debut in the Disney animated short “The Wise Little Hen.” Here are some things you may not have known about Donald. First, Donald Duck has appeared in more films than any other Disney character. Donald has been in 197 films, while Mickey Mouse has been in 167. Second, Donald distinctive voice is […]

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On June 8, 1948, Ferdinand Porsche completed the first prototype of his namesake sports car. Here are some things you may not have known about Porsche and his cars. First: Porsche was born to German-speaking parents in Mattersdorf, Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic, in 1875. In 1898, he designed his first automobile, an electric carriage called the Egger-Lohner. […]

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On June 7, 1982, Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, was opened to the public. Here are some things you may not know about the Memphis mansion. First, the home wasn’t built for Elvis. It was built in 1939 by Dr. Thomas and Ruth Moore. Presley bought the 10,266-square-foot home in 1957 for $102,500. Second, Elvis died there in […]

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On Friday, former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, possibly the biggest sports star of all-time, died at the age of 74 after a decades-long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Here’s a look back at our Oct. 1, 2015 episode about his 1975 fight against Joe Frazier, the Thrilla in Manilla: (Originally broadcast on Oct. 1, 2016) Today is the 40th anniversary […]

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