The post The Origins of “Guinness World Records” appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>In 1954, Sir Hugh reached out to twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, famous factfinders from Fleet Street, to whip up a book of facts, and they set up shop at Guinness Superlatives. The twins worked day and night, even giving up weekends and holidays, to bring the book to life.
The Guinness Book of Records skyrockets into superstardom, becoming a global sensation and a household name.
By the way, the original quest for the fastest game bird remains unresolved within the book’s pages. However, it seems that the red-breasted merganser is a strong contender.
Fast forward to today, and Guinness World Records is more than a dusty old book. With offices in cities like New York and London and a massive online presence, it’s still going strong. From TV Shows and movies to company team efforts and exquisite personal achievements, the quest for record-breaking glory never stops.
The post The Origins of “Guinness World Records” appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Back to Basics: The Surprising Origins of Everyday Objects appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Get this: Post-it notes started as a total fluke. Chemist Spencer Silver was just messing around in ’68 when he accidentally made a weak adhesive. His colleague Art Fry used it to stick bookmarks, and boom, the iconic yellow sticky notes were born. In 1980, they were launched officially.
Back in 3000 BCE, brushing your teeth meant chewing on sticks or twigs. Gross, right? Thankfully, 15th-century China brought us boar hair and bamboo handle brushes. Fast forward to now, and we’ve got electric models and fancy bristles, making dental hygiene way less gnarly.
Who knew umbrellas started as sunshades? Well, ancient people did. The Chinese saved us there, too, being the first to use them as rain protection, which was further popularized in 16th-century Europe. Waterproof materials and slick designs made umbrellas a must-have, keeping us dry and stylish to this day.
Yep, even the paperclip has a wild backstory. Cooked up by Norwegian inventor Johann Vaaler in the late 1800s to mark pages, it got a glow-up from a few others too. Now, it’s the unsung hero of the office, keeping everything together like a pro.
The post Back to Basics: The Surprising Origins of Everyday Objects appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Say What? The Historical Origins of Common English Sayings appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Some believe this common saying to originate in big ships plowing through Arctic waters, but that’s actually false. The real deal dates back to the 17th century when Samuel Butler first used it in his poem “Hudibras.” He made the connection between figuratively broken silence and literally broken ice.
Literary genius Rudyard Kipling was the one to popularize this gem in his 1891 novel The Light that Failed. However, some people claim it goes way back to a time when people physically bit down on bullets to dull the pain during surgeries.
This one comes from medieval marketplaces, where farmers used to sell little piggies in bags. Sneaky sellers would sometimes swap them out for the less valuable cats, and if a wise buyer would spot the scam, the cat was literally out of the bag.
This saying dates back to 15th century Scotland, where blood on one’s hands was considered a one-way ticket to guilt town. Being “caught red-handed” meant you were definitely guilty, no questions asked.
Last but not least, let’s dig into “saved by the bell”, an expression driven from the tough world of 19th-century boxing. When someone was in the ring and things were looking bleak, that bell ringing at the end of the round was their lifeline.
The post Say What? The Historical Origins of Common English Sayings appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post The Origins of “Guinness World Records” appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>In 1954, Sir Hugh reached out to twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, famous factfinders from Fleet Street, to whip up a book of facts, and they set up shop at Guinness Superlatives. The twins worked day and night, even giving up weekends and holidays, to bring the book to life.
The Guinness Book of Records skyrockets into superstardom, becoming a global sensation and a household name.
By the way, the original quest for the fastest game bird remains unresolved within the book’s pages. However, it seems that the red-breasted merganser is a strong contender.
Fast forward to today, and Guinness World Records is more than a dusty old book. With offices in cities like New York and London and a massive online presence, it’s still going strong. From TV Shows and movies to company team efforts and exquisite personal achievements, the quest for record-breaking glory never stops.
The post The Origins of “Guinness World Records” appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Back to Basics: The Surprising Origins of Everyday Objects appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Get this: Post-it notes started as a total fluke. Chemist Spencer Silver was just messing around in ’68 when he accidentally made a weak adhesive. His colleague Art Fry used it to stick bookmarks, and boom, the iconic yellow sticky notes were born. In 1980, they were launched officially.
Back in 3000 BCE, brushing your teeth meant chewing on sticks or twigs. Gross, right? Thankfully, 15th-century China brought us boar hair and bamboo handle brushes. Fast forward to now, and we’ve got electric models and fancy bristles, making dental hygiene way less gnarly.
Who knew umbrellas started as sunshades? Well, ancient people did. The Chinese saved us there, too, being the first to use them as rain protection, which was further popularized in 16th-century Europe. Waterproof materials and slick designs made umbrellas a must-have, keeping us dry and stylish to this day.
Yep, even the paperclip has a wild backstory. Cooked up by Norwegian inventor Johann Vaaler in the late 1800s to mark pages, it got a glow-up from a few others too. Now, it’s the unsung hero of the office, keeping everything together like a pro.
The post Back to Basics: The Surprising Origins of Everyday Objects appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Say What? The Historical Origins of Common English Sayings appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Some believe this common saying to originate in big ships plowing through Arctic waters, but that’s actually false. The real deal dates back to the 17th century when Samuel Butler first used it in his poem “Hudibras.” He made the connection between figuratively broken silence and literally broken ice.
Literary genius Rudyard Kipling was the one to popularize this gem in his 1891 novel The Light that Failed. However, some people claim it goes way back to a time when people physically bit down on bullets to dull the pain during surgeries.
This one comes from medieval marketplaces, where farmers used to sell little piggies in bags. Sneaky sellers would sometimes swap them out for the less valuable cats, and if a wise buyer would spot the scam, the cat was literally out of the bag.
This saying dates back to 15th century Scotland, where blood on one’s hands was considered a one-way ticket to guilt town. Being “caught red-handed” meant you were definitely guilty, no questions asked.
Last but not least, let’s dig into “saved by the bell”, an expression driven from the tough world of 19th-century boxing. When someone was in the ring and things were looking bleak, that bell ringing at the end of the round was their lifeline.
The post Say What? The Historical Origins of Common English Sayings appeared first on History Chronicle.
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