Cool Weird Awesome with Brady Carlson

This week we’re replaying some of our favorite shows about planets and stars and galaxies and the people who have studied them. In this episode from May 2020, the story of an important if not technically perfect image: the first picture ever taken from the Hubble Space Telescope. Plus: an Irish bee enthusiast spends time at home building a beehive out of LEGO. How Fixing the Hubble Spacecraft Work...

This week we’re replaying some of our favorite shows about planets and stars and galaxies and the people who have studied them. In this episode from July 2019, we look at one of the most prominent July 4th events before American independence, an astronomical event in 11th Century China. Plus: Oatman, Arizona's Sidewalk Egg Frying Challenge offers a different kind of July 4th celebration. Super...

This week we’re replaying some of our favorite shows about planets and stars and galaxies and the people who have studied them. In this episode from November 2020, Cincinnati dedicates an observatory that was open to the public, the first of its kind in the U.S., one called the “birthplace of American astronomy.” How Cincinnati became the ‘Birthplace of American Astronomy’  (Cincinnati Enquirer) S...

This week we’re replaying some of our favorite shows about planets and stars and galaxies and the people who have studied them. In this episode from March 2022, the story of an astronomer who definitely made her mark on the sky: Caroline Herschel, the first woman to discover a comet. Plus: residents of Pooler, Georgia, have a local landmark, a giant mailbox, 16 feet long, 8 feet tall, and painted...

This week we’re replaying some of our favorite shows about planets and stars and galaxies and the people who have studied them. In this episode from June 2021, French astronomer Guillaume Le Gentil tries to observe the transit of Venus in the 18th Century, only it doesn't go so well. Plus: Pringle, South Dakota is home to an enormous – and apparently still under construction – sculpture filled...

Today in 2012, the New York Times reported on what it called “probably the worst art restoration project of all time.” Thanks to an amateur artist, a fresco of Jesus in a church in northeastern Spain ended up looking quite different. Plus: a youngster in England wanted to help a local museum, so she donated her favorite rock to the collection. A Town, if Not a Painting, Is Restored (The New York T...

NASA's Parker Solar Probe has revealed some new details about our solar system’s top star, including that it’s very loud (!) Plus: starting today in Cumberland, Wisconsin, it’s Rutabaga Fest. The Sun: Extremely loud and incredibly hot (Astronomy.com) Cumberland, WI Rutabaga Festival   Our backers on Patreon keep this show shining

Today in 1936, the birthday of Wilt Chamberlain, a legend on the basketball court who, after retirement, took a detour into the world of professional volleyball. Plus: today in 1953, a story about a wife, a husband, a divorce and a life-size dummy. Remembering Wilt Chamberlain's Short-Lived but Momentous Volleyball Career (Inside Hook) Dummy Divorce (Weird Universe) Backing our show on Patreon...

Today in 2018, a bidder in Delaware put up $410,000 for a license plate. It doesn't happen a lot, but there’s a whole subculture around license plates in the First State, and once in a while it can turn pretty lucrative. Plus: today in 1948, the birthday of Robert Plant, who says he once paid big bucks for a radio station to stop playing one of his signature songs. Delaware license plate 20 se...

For National Photography Day, a look at the many ways people in the pre-computer days could make photos look like something they weren't, for fun or for not so honorable reasons. Plus: back in 1971, American Airlines put out an ad showing off its in-flight piano bar. A Giant Visitor to New York City (Library of Congress)  Faking It: Manipulated Photography before Photoshop (Museum of Fine Arts...

If you find yourself at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, you may come across one of its most unusual attractions: the husband calling contest. We'll explain how it works. Plus: starting tomorrow in Lebanon, Indiana, it’s Augtoberfest. The Iowa State Fair Husband Calling Contest (Neatorama) Augtoberfest   We’re calling on you to back our show on Patreon

Today's the birthday in 1895 of an inventor with a huge legacy: Ignacio Anaya Garcia, the man who gave us nachos. Plus: starting tomorrow on Long Island, it’s the Laura Branigan “Spirit of Love” Memorial Gathering. Meet Ignacio Anaya García, the Man Who Invented Nachos, In Today’s Google Doodle (Fortune) Laura Branigan “Spirit of Love” Memorial Gathering   You can back this show on Patreon for...

People have feelings about tipping today, and that was true when tipping first came to the United States. But the people who opposed tipping had sometimes opposing reasons for their anti-tip stances. Plus: a new silver coin issued by Samoa features Wonder Woman. When Tipping Was Considered Deeply Un-American (NPR’s The Salt) Samoa issues silver coins featuring Wonder Woman (Coin World) We don’t as...

Today in 1975, a famous concert by the Grateful Dead at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall. And if you look closely at the credits, you’ll see a peculiar listing that reads “Mickey Hart - percussion and crickets.” Plus: this week in Maine, it’s the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival.  So many roads : the life and times of the Grateful Dead by David Browne (via Google Books)  Machias Wild Blueb...

Researchers want to head off the small but serious risk of fire that comes with lithium ion batteries. A team at Clemson University may have found a way to teach the batteries how to put themselves out if they start burning. Plus: we have a new world record for “fastest time to slice a bell pepper.” Self-extinguishing batteries could reduce the risk of deadly and costly battery fires (Clemson Univ...

It's National Billiards and Pool Day, so we have the story of George H. Sutton, who became an accomplished billiards player after losing his hands. Plus: today in Scotland, day two of the 10-day Edinburgh Deaf Festival. HANDLESS' SUTTON, BILLIARD PLAYER, 68; Despite Handicap, Had Opposed Many Leading Professionals (New York Times) Edinburgh Deaf Festival Back us on Patreon and keep this sh...

During the 1936 Summer Games, Liechtenstein showed up flying its blue and red striped flag, only to find that Haiti was flying its flag, which had the same stripes and the same colors. Fortunately they found a solution. Plus: starting today in Indiana, it’s the Oakland City Sweet Corn Festival. flag of Liechtenstein (Britannica) flag of Haiti (Britannica)  Oakland City Sweet Corn Festival   Fly th...

Today in 1987, American swimmer Lynne Cox took to the freezing waters of the Bering Strait in a call for peace between the world’s superpowers. Plus: today in 2019, actor Danny Trejo, known for playing bad guys, had a real-life good guy moment. How an American swimmer helped thaw Cold War relations (Boston.com) Lynne Cox swims into communist territory (History.com) 'Machete' to the rescue:...

Today in 1926, American Gertrude Ederle swam from France to England, a record-setting crossing of the English Channel she made in stormy weather! Plus: if you're celebrating International Clown Week, you might want to drop by Plainview, Nebraska, home to the Klown Doll Museum. The First Woman to Brave the English Channel (Outside) The Klown Doll Museum Is One of the Strangest Places You Can Go...

Scientists have found that Exoplanet HD 189733b looks blue with white wispy clouds, but the similarities between that far-off world and this one stop right about there. Plus: starting this Friday in East Nashville, Tennessee, it’s the Tomato Art Fest. This Blue Alien Planet Is Not at All Earth-Like (Space.com) Rains of Terror on Exoplanet HD 189733b (NASA) Tomato Art Fest   If Earth has an evil tw...

We’re replaying some of our favorite episodes about the Games and those who have competed in them. In this episode from July 2021, the story of the original Olympic flag. It flew over the Games for in 1920 and then disappeared, and we didn’t find out what had happened to it for seven decades. Plus: a 3D printed robotic hand plays Super Mario Bros. OLYMPICS: NOTEBOOK; Missing Flag Returns to Glory,...

We’re replaying some of our favorite episodes about the Games and those who have competed in them. In this episode from July 2021, the story of two of those athletes, who ended up winning the only half-silver, half-bronze medals in Olympic history. Plus: the International Olympic Committee does enforce its trademark rights, which sometimes leads to interesting situations. The Silvonze Medalists  (...

We’re replaying some of our favorite episodes about the Games and those who have competed in them. In this episode from October 2022, the story of Margaret Abbott. She became the first American woman to win an Olympic title, even though she didn’t know she was in the Olympics! Plus: Ruth Hamilton of British Columbia gets an unexpected visitor at home. Margaret Abbott  (New York Times) B.C. woman a...

We’re replaying some of our favorite episodes about the Games and those who have competed in them. In this episode from August 2021, swimmer Eric Moussambani of Equatorial Guinea makes a splash at the 2000 Summer Games despite finishing well behind the rest of the competitors in his event. Plus: Canadian high jumper Derek Drouin won a gold medal in 2016 when his doctors might have preferred that h...

We’re replaying some of our favorite episodes about the Games and those who have competed in them. In this episode from July 2021, a look at the men's marathon from the 1904 Games. You couldn't write a weirder race than this one. Running a marathon was never crazier or harder than during the 1904 St Louis Olympics  (ABC Australia) 8 Unusual Facts About the 1904 St. Louis Olympics  (History...