Where Did That Come From?

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The surprising true stories behind everyday things. Why do we say OK? Who thought of the barcode? How did a melted candy bar give us the microwave? Two hosts trace one ordinary thing per episode, in about ten minutes, from its odd beginning to your kitchen, pocket or keyboard. Curious about something else, or want one of these stories told your way? Podcastery makes a podcast just for you: your question, your language, your length, your angle. podcastery.app The hosts' voices are AI-generated.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Why Is the Keyboard QWERTY?

    Why are the letters on your keyboard in such an odd order? A Milwaukee printer's typewriter kept jamming, a gun maker started selling it, and an 1888 typing contest settled the layout. Plus the popular myth that it was designed to slow typists down, the challenger that tried to replace it, and why your touchscreen still uses it. --- Curious about something else, or want this story told your way (shorter, longer, in Hebrew, from another angle)? Podcastery makes a podcast just for you. podcastery.app The hosts' voices are AI-generated.

    Why Is the Keyboard QWERTY?

  2. Nov 1

    Who Invented the Shopping Cart?

    In 1937, an Oklahoma City grocer looked at a folding chair and saw a way for shoppers to carry more. But shoppers refused to push it. How he talked them into it with hired actors, and how a second inventor's carts that slide into each other became the ones we push today. --- Curious about something else, or want this story told your way (shorter, longer, in Hebrew, from another angle)? Podcastery makes a podcast just for you. podcastery.app The hosts' voices are AI-generated.

    Who Invented the Shopping Cart?

  3. Oct 25

    Why Was Bubble Wrap Invented?

    In 1957, two engineers in New Jersey made textured plastic wallpaper. Nobody wanted it. It failed again as greenhouse insulation, until IBM needed a way to ship its new computers safely. Plus why popping it feels so good, and the new version that doesn't pop. --- Curious about something else, or want this story told your way (shorter, longer, in Hebrew, from another angle)? Podcastery makes a podcast just for you. podcastery.app The hosts' voices are AI-generated.

    Why Was Bubble Wrap Invented?

  4. Oct 25

    Who Invented the Barcode?

    In 1948, an engineering student drew Morse code in the sand on Miami Beach, stretching the dots and dashes into lines. It took a round "bullseye" design, an IBM engineer's rectangle and an entire industry agreeing on one standard before the first scan: a pack of Juicy Fruit gum in Troy, Ohio, on June 26, 1974. --- Curious about something else, or want this story told your way (shorter, longer, in Hebrew, from another angle)? Podcastery makes a podcast just for you. podcastery.app The hosts' voices are AI-generated.

    Who Invented the Barcode?

  5. Oct 25

    Why Is It Called Ketchup?

    Ketchup began as a fermented fish sauce in southern China and Southeast Asia. British cooks made it from mushrooms and walnuts. In 1830s America, tomatoes were sold as medicine and "tomato pills" became a craze. Then Henry Heinz won people's trust with a clear glass bottle. --- Curious about something else, or want this story told your way (shorter, longer, in Hebrew, from another angle)? Podcastery makes a podcast just for you. podcastery.app The hosts' voices are AI-generated.

    Why Is It Called Ketchup?

  6. Oct 25

    Who Invented the Fork?

    In 1004, a Byzantine bride arrived in Venice with a golden fork, and a churchman later described her early death as God's punishment for such vanity. How the fork crept slowly through Italy, why an English traveler who brought the habit home was nicknamed "fork-bearer", and how a scandal ended up in every kitchen drawer. --- Curious about something else, or want this story told your way (shorter, longer, in Hebrew, from another angle)? Podcastery makes a podcast just for you. podcastery.app The hosts' voices are AI-generated.

    Who Invented the Fork?

  7. Oct 23

    Where Does the Word "OK" Come From?

    In 1839, a Boston newspaper editor slipped two letters into a joke article: "o.k.", short for a deliberate misspelling, "oll korrect". Almost every joke abbreviation from that fad was forgotten within a year or two. This one survived thanks to a presidential campaign, telegraph operators and railroad men, and was eventually spoken on the Moon. Plus the false stories people told about it for a century, and the professor who finally tracked down the truth. --- Curious about something else, or want this story told your way (shorter, longer, in Hebrew, from another angle)? Podcastery makes a podcast just for you. podcastery.app The hosts' voices are AI-generated.

    Where Does the Word "OK" Come From?
  • 7 Episodes

About

The surprising true stories behind everyday things. Why do we say OK? Who thought of the barcode? How did a melted candy bar give us the microwave? Two hosts trace one ordinary thing per episode, in about ten minutes, from its odd beginning to your kitchen, pocket or keyboard. Curious about something else, or want one of these stories told your way? Podcastery makes a podcast just for you: your question, your language, your length, your angle. podcastery.app The hosts' voices are AI-generated.

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