Happy Friday! If you're new to Now I Know, you'll notice that today's format differs from the rest of the week. On Fridays, I pause to write the "Weekender," my "week in review" type of thing, or to share something else I think you may find interesting. Thanks for reading! — Dan
Help Keep Now I Know Going Strong
Hi!
Yep: Today, I’m asking you to financially support Now I Know
For 15 years, I’ve been writing Now I Know — a little story in your inbox most weekdays, sharing surprising, curious, and often weird bits of knowledge. I love doing it, and I’m grateful every single day that so many of you read along.
Right now, Now I Know brings in between $1,800 and $2,300 a month, most of which comes from recurring and one-time support from readers like you. That’s wonderful — but to keep the newsletter running at the level it deserves, my long-term goal is to reach $5,000 a month in total support.
(And just to be clear: Now I Know isn’t going anywhere. Your support doesn’t keep it alive — it helps make it stronger, more sustainable, and gives you the option to receive it ad-free.)
If you’d like to help, there are two easy ways:
👉 Become a monthly supporter
I send about 20 editions a month. A $5 monthly contribution works out to just 25 cents per email — about the cost of:
A stick of gum,
A couple of sips from a can of Coke, or
That one French fry you swore you weren’t going to eat but absolutely did.
For a quarter a day, you’re helping make sure thousands of curious people keep learning something new each morning.
$5/month gets you an ad-free version of the newsletter (like today’s!)
$10/month gets you the same ad-free version, with a little extra generosity. 😀
👉 Make a one-time contribution
Not comfortable with recurring support? Or want to make a REALLY BIG one-time gift? That’s great! Every dollar counts — $5, $50, or more.
A big thank you, also, to everyone who already supports Now I Know. Your generosity helps make the ad-free version possible for supporters and allows me to focus more time on great stories.
If Now I Know has ever made you say “huh, that’s neat,” I’d be honored if you’d consider chipping in.
Thanks!
Dan
P.S. If you’re interested in sponsoring the newsletter to reach thousands of engaged, curious readers, feel free to reach out to me directly.
The Now I Know Week In Review
Monday: A Heroic Reason to Steal a Jacket: Star-Lord is a hero and a thief. So is the guy who plays him.
Tuesday: The Thieves That Wrestled With Their Conscience: They stole something, but that’s not the story.
Wednesday: Neither Rain Nor Sleet Nor Crazy Address Will Prevent The Mail Delivery: The postal service really delivers!
Thursday: TV Gets Iced: Why you couldn’t watch TV in Iceland on Thursdays until relatively recently.
Long Reads and Other Things
Here are a few things you may want to check out over the weekend:
1) “My First Murder” (Texas Monthly, 11 minutes, October 2025). The subhead: “A legendary true crime writer revisits the case that launched his lifelong obsession. An exclusive excerpt from Skip Hollandsworth’s new book, She Kills.”
2) “With the Em Dash, A.I. Embraces a Fading Tradition” (New York Times/gift link, 6 minutes, October 2025). I (obviously) don’t use AI to write, but I do use em-dashes. So this resonated with me.
3) “What Is Really Going on With All This Radioactive Shrimp?” (Consumer Reports, 8 minutes, October 2025). What a great headline — and it’s a full and complete answer.
Have a great weekend!
Dan