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

Hi!

Yep: today I’m asking you to support Now I Know financially. I don’t do this often — the last time was back in March — so thanks for bearing with me.

For 16 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.

Most of what keeps Now I Know going comes from recurring and one-time support from readers like you. In March, about two dozen of you signed on as new supporters, which I’m still humbled by. I’d like to repeat that success today — my goal this fall is to add another 25.

(And just to be clear: Now I Know isn’t going anywhere. Your support doesn’t keep it alive — it helps make it stronger and more sustainable, and it gives you the option to get it ad-free.)

If you’d like to help, there are two easy ways:

I send about 20 editions a month. A $5 monthly contribution works out to just 25 cents per email — the cost of:

For a quarter a day, you’re helping make sure thousands of curious people keep learning something new each morning. That’s better than a small handful of mints, right?

Click Here to Support Now I Know

Not comfortable with recurring support? Or want to make a REALLY BIG one-time gift? That’s great! Whether it’s $5, $50, or, in a truly heroic turn of events, $500,000, I’m grateful for it.

A big thank you, too, to everyone who already supports Now I Know. Your generosity makes the ad-free version possible and lets me spend 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

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Monday: I was off for Yom Kippur.

Tuesday: Free Money's Fine Print: An ATM error in your favor comes with strings attached, even if you would have gotten away with it.

Wednesday: The Bathrobe Defense: How wearing pajamas in public can help keep you out of prison (but not indefinitely).

Thursday: When First Comes in Third: Second comes in first, maybe, but not always; regardless, it always comes before First, at least in this real-life Abbot and Costello skit.

Fresh dog food sounds great — until you’re thawing it in the sink every morning. Sundays skips all of that. It’s gently air-dried in the US, which locks in nutrition and flavor without needing a freezer, prep, or cleanup. Just scoop it straight from the bag into the bowl. It’s shelf-stable, mess-free, and easy to take on trips — built for real life with a dog, not a lab schedule. Now I Know readers: your dog’s next meal is one scoop away — and it’s 30% off your first order with Sundays For Dogs.

Here are a few things you may want to check out over the weekend:

1) ”Impossibility is a Myth” (The Fence, 22 minutes, September 2026). The subhead: “Sacha Jafri sold an artwork for $62 million dollars in 2021 at an auction. But the money never changed hands. What happened?”

2) “Getting Rich and Going Broke, One Pack of Sports Cards at a Time” (GQ, 30 minutes, September 2026). Over the past few weeks, I’ve been plugging my Whatnot referral link here because I like baseball, and your sign ups have earned me credits to get some free cards. (Thanks for that!) I’ve also seen — but haven’t participated in — the channels that sell cards in the manner described in this article. It’s a weird, and potentially dangerous mix of card collecting and gambling. The GQ story does a great job articulating the situation, and is a great read even if you’re not into baseball.

3) “The great American road trip is in peril” (Grist, 18 minutes, August 2026). The subhead: “Along my family's 9,000-mile trip this summer, our days whiplashed between grandeur and extreme weather crises.”

Thanks again for supporting Now I Know — and have a great weekend!

Dan