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PODCAST

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.

education

All Episodes

00:04:15

Why Leaves Change Color | Smartest Year Ever (Nov 24,...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/24

Every autumn, the world transforms into a blaze of reds, oranges, and golds—but what’s actually happening inside those leaves?In this episode, Gordy unpacks the science of fall colors—from chlorophyll breakdown and nutrient recycling to why some trees create new pigments right before they drop their leaves. You’ll learn what triggers the brilliant reds of maples, the golden hues of birch and aspen, and why the spectacle of autumn foliage is as much a chemical strategy as it is a visual

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00:05:27

The President Who Served Only 31 Days | Smartest Year...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/23

In 1841, William Henry Harrison made history twice — first for giving the longest inaugural address, and then for serving the shortest presidency in American history.In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy unpacks how Harrison’s stubborn show of endurance turned into a national tragedy — and how his death led to one of the most important constitutional precedents ever set.From his two-hour outdoor speech in freezing weather to his mysterious illness and the chaotic aftermath that followed, this

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00:04:05

The Only President Who Never Married | Smartest Year...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/22

James Buchanan holds one distinction no other U.S. president ever has — but it’s not one he celebrated. In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy explores the story of America’s only bachelor president, diving into the mystery, heartbreak, and speculation that defined his personal life and presidency.From his tragic engagement to Anne Coleman, to his lifelong bond with William Rufus King, and his niece Harriet Lane’s role as the “Democratic Queen” of Washington society — Buchanan’s life was full

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00:04:02

The President Who Used Mandarin as a White House Code...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/21

Before Herbert Hoover ever became president, he and his wife, Lou Henry Hoover, shared a secret most Americans didn’t know: They were fluent in Mandarin Chinese — and they used it inside the White House as a private code.In this episode, Gordy explores how the Hoovers’ years living in China shaped their worldview — from the Boxer Rebellion to their habit of speaking Mandarin during sensitive conversations. Discover how a mining engineer and a Stanford-trained geologist became the only presidential

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00:04:26

The First President Born in the United States |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/20

Before George Washington or Thomas Jefferson were ever called “Americans,” they were actually British subjects. So who was the first president born after independence — the first to be a true American from birth?In this episode, Gordy dives into the life of Martin Van Buren, the first American-born president — and the only one who didn’t grow up speaking English as his first language. From his roots in a Dutch-speaking New York village to his rise as one of the nation’s most skilled political

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00:05:35

Presidential Pets: The Weirdest Animals in the White...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/19

For over 200 years, the White House has doubled as a political powerhouse and a makeshift zoo. In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy dives into the wild history of presidential pets—from George Washington’s hounds named Drunkard and Sweet Lips, to John Adams’s dog Satan, to Calvin Coolidge’s raccoon Rebecca, and even a hippopotamus on the White House lawn.These weren’t just mascots—they shaped presidential images, headlines, and sometimes scandals. Discover which president defended his dog in

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00:04:44

The First President Ever Photographed | Smartest Year...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/18

When did photography first meet the presidency? In this episode, Gordy dives into the story of the first U.S. president ever photographed—a moment when early technology collided with American history. It’s a tale of daguerreotypes, mercury fumes, and one president who called his own portrait “hideous.”From John Quincy Adams sitting perfectly still in 1843 to James K. Polk’s somber White House session a few years later, this episode explores how photography forever changed how power, authenticity,

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00:05:40

Did Taft Really Get Stuck in His Bathtub? | Smartest...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/17

President William Howard Taft is remembered for one thing — and it’s not his presidency. For over a century, people have repeated the story that he got stuck in a bathtub. But is it true, or just one of history’s most persistent political myths?In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy digs into the truth behind America’s most infamous presidential rumor. From custom White House bathtubs to the origins of the legend itself, you’ll learn how a story with no evidence managed to outlive the real

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00:04:42

Why Tennis Scoring Makes No Sense | Smartest Year...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/16

Tennis is one of the world’s most elegant sports—and one of the weirdest when it comes to scoring. Why does it go love, 15, 30, 40 instead of 1, 2, 3, 4? Gordy dives into the strange history of tennis scoring, tracing it back to medieval France, the origins of jeu de paume, and the centuries-old quirks that shaped the modern game.This episode explores theories about how tennis scoring might have evolved—from the clock-face system to betting units in deniers, to even court geometry—and why none of

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00:04:22

Placebo Buttons are Everywhere! | Smartest Year Ever...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/15

Placebo Buttons Are Everywhere! | Smartest Year Ever (Nov 15, 2025)In this episode, Gordy explores the world of placebo buttons — those everyday controls that look functional but don’t actually do anything. From elevator “Close Door” buttons that don’t close doors, to crosswalk signals that don’t change lights, to office thermostats that don’t control temperature — these fake controls are everywhere, quietly shaping our behavior.This episode dives deep into the illusion of control, a powerful

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00:04:59

What Fruits and Vegetables Looked Like Before Humans...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/14

Before modern genetic engineering, humans were already changing the DNA of plants — just one harvest at a time. Every apple, banana, peach, and carrot on your plate is the result of thousands of years of selective breeding — evolution powered by appetite.In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy explores what fruits and vegetables looked like before humans domesticated them — from the scraggly grass ancestor of corn (teosinte) to the seed-filled wild banana, the cherry-sized peach, and the

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00:05:20

When America Recruited Pets for WWII | Smartest Year...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/13

In 1942, as World War II raged overseas, America launched one of the most unusual recruitment drives in history — a nationwide call for family pets. Citizens were asked to “lend” their dogs to the military to help the war effort. The campaign, called Dogs for Defense, turned ordinary pets into trained soldiers: bomb sniffers, messengers, sled dogs, and sentries.Gordy dives into the fascinating, often emotional story behind America’s World War II War Dog Program — how it started, which breeds were

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00:03:21

When Did We Start Calling It World War I? | Smartest...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/12

When did people start calling it World War I—and who decided to start numbering the wars in the first place?In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy traces the fascinating evolution of how humanity labeled its greatest conflicts. From the “Great War” and President Woodrow Wilson’s call to name it “The World War,” to early 1930s editorials predicting a “World War No. 2,” this episode explores how language, history, and tragedy intertwined.Discover when newspapers like the Manchester Guardian

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00:04:40

The Last Soldier to Die in World War I | Smartest...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/11

On November 11, 1918, the First World War officially ended. But one soldier—Henry Nicholas John Gunther—was killed just one minute before peace began.In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy unravels one of the most haunting and symbolic stories in military history: the last soldier to die in World War I. Discover how an American bank clerk from Baltimore, demoted for a misunderstood letter home, made a final desperate charge toward a German machine-gun nest after the Armistice had already been

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00:04:38

Why Veterans Day Was Once in October | Smartest Year...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/10

In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy unpacks the strange moment in American history when Veterans Day was moved to October—and why that decision quickly backfired. This isn’t just a quirky scheduling fact. It’s a revealing look at how Congress, symbolism, and civic tradition collided over the meaning of a national holiday.From the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 to the public backlash that forced Congress to reverse course in 1975, this episode dives into how one of America’s most sacred

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00:04:33

Why Canada Has a Polar Bear Jail | Smartest Year Ever...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/09

Why does Canada have a Polar Bear Jail? In Churchill, Manitoba, one of the coldest, most remote towns on Earth, the locals have a uniquely Canadian solution to an Arctic problem. When polar bears wander into town — and they do, a lot — they don’t call animal control. They call Polar Bear Alert.In this episode, Gordy uncovers the fascinating story of Churchill’s Polar Bear Holding Facility, a real-life “jail” where captured bears wait out the melt season before being airlifted back to the wild. It’s

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00:05:30

The Weird History of the Michelin Man: From Tires to...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/08

The Michelin Man isn’t just a goofy mascot made of tires — he’s part of one of the most unexpected branding stories in history. Gordy digs into the strange evolution of Bibendum, the white tire man who started out as a cigar-smoking, glass-drinking Victorian nightmare before becoming the friendly icon we know today.This episode traces how the Michelin brothers, Édouard and André, turned a tire company into a global authority on fine dining. From the birth of the Michelin Guide in 1900 to the modern

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00:04:32

Why You See Floating Dots in Your Vision | Smartest...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/07

Ever stared at the bright sky and noticed tiny floating dots or squiggly strands drifting across your vision? In today’s episode, Gordy dives into one of the most common — and misunderstood — visual quirks: eye floaters.They’ve been described since Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks, feared as insects by early physicians, and are now understood through the science of posterior vitreous detachment — the process behind those mysterious shapes you sometimes see floating across your eyes.In this episode of

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00:05:16

Why Quartz Is Used in Watches | Smartest Year Ever...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/06

At the core of modern timekeeping lies a surprising hero: quartz. In this episode of Smartest Year Ever, Gordy breaks down how a simple crystal became the heartbeat of nearly every watch, clock, and computer on Earth.Discover the science behind the quartz revolution—from the piezoelectric effect discovered by the Curie brothers, to how Seiko’s 1969 Astron transformed the watch industry forever. Learn why quartz vibrates at exactly 32,768 times per second, and how that rhythmic hum keeps your watch

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00:06:03

The Pitch Drop: Science’s Slowest Experiment |...

Smartest Year Ever ·

2025/11/05

At the University of Queensland, a small glass funnel has been “dripping” since 1927. But what’s dripping isn’t water — it’s pitch, a tar-like substance so thick it takes years for a single drop to fall. Known as the Pitch Drop Experiment, it’s officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest-running laboratory experiment in history.Physicist Thomas Parnell started it nearly a century ago to prove that some solids are actually liquids that flow extremely slowly. Since then, it’s been a

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368 results

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