If Winter Is Your Thing, Try Staying At An Ice Hotel (Cool Weird Awesome 932)
There’s still plenty of winter to go. But if plenty of winter still isn’t enough, there’s a way to level up: staying at an ice hotel.
The Leaning Tower Of Pisa Is Straightening Out (Cool Weird Awesome 919)
We have some good news early in this new year: the Leaning Tower of Pisa isn’t leaning quite as far as it used to!
Jackdaws Decide When To Take Off As A Group (Cool Weird Awesome 914)
Researchers have a pretty good idea what all the chatter between crows is about. They seem to figure out when to launch a mass takeoff by discussing it.
Founder of “Birds Aren’t Real” Movement
The chyron is wild on its own but you really need to see the whole video
Pigeons Would Make Pretty Good Art Critics (Cool Weird Awesome 637)
Today in 2001 that a scientific journal published a study with an interesting name, which read in part: “Van Gogh, Chagall and pigeons." There's been a lot of research into how pigeons take in and process visual information, like art, and apparently it's pretty complex. Plus: in Detroit, a local news reporter does a story about a local skateboard park, and flawlessly rides a skateboard in the middle of his report!
The Next Big Thing In Home Insulation? Mushrooms (Cool Weird Awesome 632)
A startup in the UK has found a way to use mushrooms to create a new, greener kind of home insulation. But don't worry, it isn't just growing mushrooms inside the walls of your house. Plus: an Australian company that delivers coffee by drone is reworking its business model because nesting ravens are attacking their aircraft.
The Cheeseburger Has More Than One Origin Story (Cool Weird Awesome 615)
This weekend is National Cheeseburger Day, and there's only one such holiday. But if you ask where the cheeseburger came from, there are a couple answers. Plus: for National Pet Bird Day, a story from 2017 in which researchers found wild birds in Australia swearing.
The Netherlands Turned Pole-Sitting Into A Competitive Sport (Cool Weird Awesome 452)
The U.S. had flagpole sitting a century ago, but the Netherlands has Paalzitten, a sport in which people try to outlast each other sitting on poles. It can get competitive, though finding a crowd to watch people sitting on poles can be tricky. Plus: on National Bird Day, we pay tribute to the shoebill, a large bird that looks a bit like a pelican crossed with a dragon.
The Canadiens And Maple Leafs Had A Brawl, And A Hockey Game Broke Out (Cool Weird Awesome 437)
Today in 1953, two NHL teams racked up a then-record 204 penalty minutes, in a game that’s officially 60 minutes long. Hockey is a rough sport. Plus a guitarist in Japan can play blues riffs with a cheerful little parakeet on his hand!
Never Skip The Dedication Page Of A Book, They Can Get Wild (Cool Weird Awesome 410)
If you're taking part in National Novel Writing Month, then here's a tip: don't forget the dedication page. They can be full of surprises, as we discovered in quite a few books. Plus: meet the prehistoric pelagornithid, probably the largest flying bird ever, with a 20 foot wingspan and teeth.