There Used To Be A World Record For Auto Sales
This week marks two years since the end of a lawsuit over who had the world record in car sales! Not that we're short on stories these days about people disputing numbers.
The Teachers Who Became World Class Screamers (But Not At Their Classes)
To mark our 400th episode, we have stories of some of the people who have set world records for screaming! Two of them are educators, though I don't think they practice on their students.
The Town Of Asbestos Is Looking For A Less Asbestos-ey Name
The community of Asbestos, Quebec has decided to rename itself. Now it's up to the residents to decide whether the town should be named Trois-Lacs, Apalone, Phénix or - wait for it - Jeffrey.
Put This Sensor On Your Food And See If It’s Safe To Eat
A sensor developed at MIT uses a set of microneedles to push through packaging and determine whether the food inside is safe to eat, which could prevent food waste and help head off outbreaks of salmonella.
The Swimming Champion Who Became A Real-Life Superhero
Armenian finswimming champion Shavarsh Karapetyan saved at least 20 passengers trapped in a trolleybus that had gone into a lake. Has anybody done a biopic about this guy yet?
The People Who Fix Typewriters Have A Job That Still Needs To Be Done
Computers and the Internet have changed so much of the world, but older technology that still has a home in the world and there are still people who still make it all work, like the family that runs the Gramercy Typewriter Company in Manhattan.
The Fabric With A Built-In Cooling System
Maybe everyone in junior high was right: the clothes you wear really can make you cool! At least if those clothes are the new fabric developed in China with a kind of cooling system embedded inside.
The World’s Fair Is Where America Learned To Love The Banana
It was on this day in 1876 that the U.S. first fell in love with the banana, when it was introduced at the World's Fair in Philadelphia. Though, back then, eating a banana was quite a bit different than it is today.
The College With Its Own Doll Collection
Some traditions are hard to replicate online, like Meredith College's annual presentation of a class doll at the end of the year.
Jigsaw Puzzles, A Geographic Teaching Tool Turned Global Phenomenon
There's been a surge in popularity for jigsaw puzzles lately - not bad for an idea that was originally meant to teach kids in London about the countries of Europe.