Smartest Year Ever
The Smartest Year Ever began as a 365-day experiment in curiosity. In 2025, I dropped a new fact every single day. History, science, language, word origins, and strange true stories, all the stuff that somehow makes you sound smarter in conversation. The goal hasn’t changed: help you become the world’s greatest conversationalist.
Episodes (399)
What is the World's Steepest Street? | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 16, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Ides of March | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 15, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Truth About St. Patrick’s Day | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 14, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Why Do Some People Have Innies vs. Outies? | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 13, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Why Is Alcohol Measured in "Proof"? | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 12, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Do Animals Need Glasses? | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 11, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
How a Deadly Snake Helped Treat High Blood Pressure | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 10...
Smartest Year Ever
The Proof Is in the Pudding? – The Origins of an Idiom | Smartest Year Ever (Mar...
Smartest Year Ever
The Last Pontiac Ever Made | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 8, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Daylight Saving Time | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 7, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
How Did Godzilla Get Its Name? | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 6, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Fairy Rings: Mushroom Circles, Science, and Magic | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 5, 2...
Smartest Year Ever
Why Deep-Sea Divers Sound Like Chipmunks | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 4, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Banjo’s Unexpected Roots | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 3, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Stock Photos: When Your Face Goes Viral... By Accident | Smartest Year Ever (Mar...
Smartest Year Ever
March: The First Month of the Year? | Smartest Year Ever (Mar 1, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Paraprosdokians: The Sentence Switch-Ups That Trick Your Brain | Smartest Year E...
Smartest Year Ever
Why Is Olive Oil Extra Virgin? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 27, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Discontinued Dollar Bills | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 26, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Kentucky Meat Shower | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 25, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Gorilla Glasses | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 24, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Nominative Determinism | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 23, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Ancient Statues Were Colorful?! | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 22, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Why Do We Blow Out Birthday Candles? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 21, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Light vs. Dark Roast: Who Wins the Caffeine War? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 18, 2...
Smartest Year Ever
Why Do We Go Bald on Our Heads but Not Our Faces? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 19,...
Smartest Year Ever
Why Do We Clap? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 18, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Truth About Presidents' Day | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 17, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Rise and Fall of Holidomes | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 16, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Dirty Origins of Pink Lemonade | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 15, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Brutal Truth Behind Valentine’s Day | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 14, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Surprising History of Valentine’s Day Cards | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 13, 20...
Smartest Year Ever
Abraham Lincoln: Wrestling Champion? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 12, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Truth Behind “A Grain of Salt” | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 11, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Immortal Jellyfish: Nature’s Biggest Cheat Code | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 10...
Smartest Year Ever
Why It’s Never Red Gatorade at the Super Bowl | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 9, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Kola Nut: The Forgotten Ingredient in Cola | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 8, 2025...
Smartest Year Ever
The Torino Scale: How Astronomers Rank Asteroid Threats | Smartest Year Ever (Fe...
Smartest Year Ever
The Tunguska Event: The Biggest Explosion No One Saw | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 6...
Smartest Year Ever
Do Rivers Always Flow South? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 5, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Bloop: The Sound That Shook the Ocean | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 4, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 3, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Pepsi’s Weird Original Name | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 2, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Why Is February So Short? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 1, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
The Statue of Liberty’s Ancient Twin | Smartest Year Ever (Jan 31, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
LED Lights vs. Sharks: A Bright Idea | Smartest Year Ever (Jan 30, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Dancing Cat Fever: Mercury’s Deadly Dance | Smartest Year Ever (Jan 29, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Canaries in Coal Mines: Life-Saving Birds | Smartest Year Ever (Jan 28, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Why Dogs Tilt Their Heads | Smartest Year Ever (Jan 27, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever
Why Do Pee Shivers Happen? | Smartest Year Ever (Jan 26, 2025)
Smartest Year Ever