The Sometimes Salty History of the Cheez-It (Cool Weird Awesome 777)
Today in 1921, Green and Green cracker company of Dayton, Ohio trademarked the name of a new product that is still doing quite well: it’s the birthday of the Cheez-It.
How A Doctor In Norway Survived Extreme Hypothermia (Cool Weird Awesome 776)
Today in 2000, Dr. Anna Bågenholm's body temperature fell to the lowest level ever survived by a human being. Here's the story of how she faced extreme hypothermia and came back to life. Plus: tomorrow in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, it’s the Kielbasi Festival/Heritage Day.
Scientists May Be Able To Recreate Cleopatra’s Perfume (Cool Weird Awesome 775)
We don't know for sure it's hers, but researchers have found traces of a perfume that was likely popular during Cleopatra's time - and they think they may be able to brew some of it up.
When Jacqueline Cochran Broke The Sound Barrier (Cool Weird Awesome 774)
Today in 1953, Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier. Then again, Cochran moved at high speed her whole career. Plus: today in 1838, the birthday of Alexander Miles, a Black inventor who made elevators what they are today.
Jumped Into Spider Monkey Enclosure
Note the bag of Cheetos placed in front of the reporter's microphone.
Donald Gorske Has Eaten 30,000 Big Macs And He’s Still Going (Cool Weird Awesome 773)
50 years ago today, a man named Donald Gorske ate a McDonald’s Big Mac. It was the first of over 30,000, and yes, he holds the world record for most Big Macs eaten by a single person.
These Smart Glasses Can Describe The World For Blind Wearers (Cool Weird Awesome 772)
A company called Envision has designed a set of glasses that uses artificial intelligence to help blind people with a wide range of activities. They can decode text, detect color and describe outdoor scenes to the wearer, among many other functions.
Every Year The Netherlands Sends Thousands Of Tulips To Canada (Cool Weird Awesome 771)
The Canadian Tulip Festival is getting underway in Ottawa. Here's the history of the annual event, which (pun intended) has its roots in the history of World War II.
R-14, The Submarine That Made It Back To Port Using Blankets As Sails (Cool Weird Awesome 770)
This month in 1921, an American submarine known as R-14 ran out of usable fuel in the Pacific Ocean, and lost radio contact with the Navy. To get home, the crew turned the sub into a sailboat, making bunk beds and blankets into sails.
James Harrison May Have Been The Best Blood Donor Of All Time (Cool Weird Awesome 769)
Today in 2018, Australian James Harrison gave blood for the last time. He had donated about once a week for some 60 years, and because his blood included a rare antibody, his donations helped save millions of lives.