Daniel Leonard
Expertise
History, Science, Technology, Science Fiction
- Daniel has attained a Bachelor's degree in the History of Science and Philosophy.
- He has written a column for The Harvard Crimson about the future of human space exploration, as well as a 120-page thesis on the history of Wikipedia. He also runs an educational YouTube channel called The Young Futurist.
- Daniel is currently pursuing a Master's degree in science journalism at New York University.
Experience
Daniel earned a B.A. from Harvard University in 2021, completing a double major in the History of Science and Philosophy. As an undergrad, Daniel wrote opinion pieces for The Harvard Crimson newspaper, including a column about the future of human space exploration. Daniel also releases educational YouTube videos under the name The Young Futurist. Daniel loves to study many topics, especially science and philosophy; he particularly likes reading science fiction that combines those two areas. As of 2021, Daniel is pursuing a Master's degree in science journalism at New York University.
Education
Daniel attained a B.A. in the History of Science and Philosophy from Harvard University in May 2021. This unique background is perfect for Grunge, as Daniel is well-acquainted with the weird and wild history of the human race — especially our species' dealings with science and technology.
The unique content on Grunge is a result of skilled collaboration between writers and editors with a broad array of expertise in everything from history to classic Hollywood to true crime. Our goal is to provide accurate and diverse content bolstered by expert input.
Focused on accuracy and ethical coverage, the Grunge editorial team consistently fact-checks and reviews site content to provide readers with an informative, entertaining, and engaging experience. Click here for more information on our editorial process.
Stories By Daniel Leonard
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We think of our distant, cave-dwelling ancestors as focused on basic survival: eat; don't get eaten. Caves around the world have preserved more: their art.
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We've all heard about Murphy's law, about anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. What about Moore's law, regarding the growth of computing power?
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There's almost never just one ant. They're almost always spotted in groups, sometimes measuring in the thousands, often marching -- but where, and why?
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Tongue twisters are fun to do at parties or when you're preparing to do some public speaking. But, science reveals why our brains get certain sounds mixed up.
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Until relatively recently, it was easy to disappear -- become a new person, somewhere new, for whatever reason. Escaping the past isn't so easy anymore.
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It's said that on every March 17, everyone becomes Irish. The date is dedicated to St. Patrick, with celebrations around the country, including parades.
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You've almost certainly had this happen: you wake up from a fascinating dream, excited to tell someone or write it down, only for it to fade from your mind.
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Which came first, the chicken or the egg? When it comes to video games, was Tetris first? How about Pong? Mario Brothers? Some version of solitaire?
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For fans of dogs, it's a pretty adorable canine behavior: circling, sometimes repeatedly, before curling up to sleep. The question then arises: Why?
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It's one of those toys from before video games: the Etch A Sketch, creating images by twiddling two knobs. Anybody who's seen one wonders: How does it work?
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Australia's Pilbara region is unique and breathtaking. It might even be the oldest place on earth.
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Snow White is of course the name of a character from fairy tales (and movies). Ever ask yourself why is it that snow is actually white? Or is that an illusion?
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While human astronauts tend to get all the attention, lots of animals have been sent into space, too. Here's the sad tale of the bat who went to space.
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To-may-to, to-mah-to -- however you say it (or slice it), it's still delicious, full of nutritional benefits. Fruit or vegetable? Does it matter? Legally, yes.
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At first, the "Cueva de los Cristales" — or "Cave of the Crystals" — sounds like a beautiful place to visit. The name alone is enticing.
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The story is told that the city of Portland, Oregon, was so named because of a coin toss. (The other option was Boston." Where does the name Mexico originate?
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The tragic costs of warfare include the loss of lives, both military and civilian, young and old. Property of all kinds is also lost -- buildings, artifacts.
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Every once in a while, Hollywood knocks out a film, "based on a true story," that actually contains a lot of fact. "Hidden Figures" is one such film.
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The history of the world is filled with battles fought to save nations, the tide turned by use of a stratagem, rather than overwhelming numbers. Or with cats.
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Most of us live within the context of the seven-day week. It wasn't always so. Also, those seven days have individual names. That wasn't always so, either.
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The Roman dodecahedron dates back over 1,800 years, and remains a mystery even today. People are still speculating about what the object was used for.
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Rather than reflecting on his family or his own career, John Adams' final thoughts instead drifted to his friend and longtime rival Thomas Jefferson.
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It's been theorized the first people in the Americas came on foot across the Bering Strait. Here is what indigenous people think about that theory.
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The story behind the constellation now known as Ursa Major involves a person named Callisto. How did Callisto end up as a starry arrangement in the night sky?
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Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall -- Egypt, Greece, Rome. The Americas were the site of civilizations as well, including the Aztecs and the mysterious Anasazi.
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Stanley Kubrick is often listed among the best directors of all time; many even call him the best. Kubrick directed 13 full-length films but only won one Oscar.
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Throughout the entire history of spaceflight, only one cat has been successfully launched into space: a black-and-white female named Félicette in 1963.