Three minutes each weekday of cool facts, weird news and awesome discoveries. Subscribe today on your favorite podcast app! And back this show at https://www.patreon.com/Bradycarlson

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. 

By |2022-05-18T06:19:11-04:00May 18, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |
Read More

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.

By |2022-05-17T08:43:00-04:00May 17, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |
Read More

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.

By |2022-05-16T09:30:02-04:00May 16, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |
Read More

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.

By |2022-05-13T05:49:03-04:00May 13, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , |
Read More

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.

By |2022-05-12T08:59:25-04:00May 12, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |
Read More

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.

By |2022-05-11T08:57:14-04:00May 11, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , |
Read More

Tomatoes Are Fruit, But The Supreme Court Once Ruled That They’re Vegetables (Cool Weird Awesome 768)

Today in 1893, the highest court in the land made a controversial ruling that would profoundly affect Americans to this day: the US Supreme Court ruled that the tomato was a vegetable.

By |2022-05-10T10:36:08-04:00May 10, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , , , |
Read More

Colorful Crosswalks May Be Safer Crosswalks (Cool Weird Awesome 767)

A new study finds colorful painted murals around, or in place of, traditional striped crosswalks may cause drivers to yield more around pedestrians and keep them safe.

By |2022-05-09T10:19:36-04:00May 9, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , |
Read More

The Cold War Brought Homework Back To American Students (Cool Weird Awesome 766)

Today is National No Homework Day. For many years in the US, every day was a no homework day - but then Sputnik happened. Plus: this weekend in North Carolina, it's the Smithfield Ham and Yam Festival. 

By |2022-05-06T06:44:35-04:00May 6, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |
Read More

A Town In France Could Have Bioluminescent Street Lights (Cool Weird Awesome 765)

In Rambouillet, France, a startup is developing street lights that are bioluminescent - they’re powered by bacteria that glow. Plus: around this time in 1965, a woman sees a car selling for "1,395 bananas" and shows up at the dealership with actual fruit. 

By |2022-05-05T09:02:45-04:00May 5, 2022|Categories: Cool Weird Awesome, Podcasts|Tags: , , , , |
Read More

If you like what I do, here’s how you can support it

Back me on Patreon: Become a Patron!

Donate on Square

buy from my online store

Subscribe to my email list:

My stuff is © 2002-present. All rights reserved.

Go to Top