Cool Weird Awesome with Brady Carlson

Today in 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman and only the second person to make a nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. But she wasn't the first female pilot - in fact, she learned to fly from another well-known woman aviator. Plus: around this time in 2006, a park in Boston got an odd new addition now known as the Jamaica Pond Bench. Neta Snook (Ames History)What's up with the bizarre U-shaped bench in Jamaica Plain? (Boston.com) Wing on over to our Patreon page and back our show

Today in 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received a patent for what the paperwork called "Improvement in Fastening Pocket-Openings.” Their blue jeans were originally meant for people when they were out working in really hard, tough jobs. And ironically, that's what ended up making jeans popular for everyday use. Plus: the Netherlands has a job for people on the internet! How Blue Jeans Began—And Then Conquered US Closets (History.com)Did you spot a fish? Press the Fish Doorbell! Sing the praises of pants and then back our show on Patreon

Today in 1946, the birthday of professional wrestling's Eighth Wonder of the World, Andre the Giant. What a movie they could make about this guy's life, and arguably the weirdest scene would be the time he came to Baghdad to wrestle in front of a future Iraqi dictator. Plus: it's Lettuce Month, which means it's time for the annual lettuce eating contest for the University of Minnesota's Lettuce Club. The Sheikh of Baghdad (from Weird Minnesota by Eric Dregni (via Google Books) Lettuce Club at University of Minnesota has lettuce eating contest (The Minnesota Daily)Anybody want a peanut? Or anybody want to back our show on Patreon?

For International Museum Day, we look back at the first museum, which came into the world around 2500 years ago thanks to one very prominent and very busy princess. Plus: a traffic camera system in New York City tries to issue a speeding ticket for a replica car in a museum in northern Illinois.The Woman Who Opened the World's First Museum in 500 BCE (Messy Nessy Chic)Illinois' Volo Auto Museum baffled as KITT replica receives NYC speeding ticket (MyStateline)Keep our museum-quality podcast episodes coming as a backer on Patreon

This week we're replaying some short episodes about long races. In this one from March 2024, Japanese athlete Shizo Kanakuri begins a marathon in 1912... and finishes in 1967. Plus: a college student emails the professor with a question and gets a reply quite a long time after the course was over. Better late than never for Japan's first, “slowest” Olympian (Japan Times)Hannah Jung For all the people that think they are bad at responding to emails (Hannah Jung on Twitter via Bored Panda)Don't wait to back our show on Patreon – tomorrow you'll get an exclusive supporters-only bonus episode

This week we're replaying some short episodes about long races. In this one from April 2021, Jessica Anderson sets a world record in the London Marathon, though one that wasn't recognized as such right away. Plus: NoseID is a pet identification system that can help out a lost dog in record time. Woman Denied ‘Fastest Nurse' Record Because She Didn't Wear a Dress, Later Awarded Title (Sports Illustrated)NoseID can scan your dog's unique nose print to help find them if they get lost (It's Nice That)Our Patreon backers set a world record every day for being amazing

This week we're replaying some short episodes about long races. In this one from July 2021, a look at the men's marathon from the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. You couldn't write a weirder race than this one. Plus: American athletes took home a record 239 medals at the 1904 Games, for one very unusual reason. 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.com)Supporting our show isn't a marathon process, just back us on Patreon!

This week we're replaying some short episodes about long races. In this one from July 2019, Cynthia Arnold of Missoula, Montana ran the Missoula Marathon while pushing a six year old, a four year old and a one year old in a triple stroller. Plus: Tony Fisher bought some salami and did the only logical thing with it: construct a 2x2x2 Rubik's Cube out of it.Mom Runs 3:11 Marathon With a Triple Stroller While Pushing 185 Pounds (Runners World)Real Salami Sausage 2x2x2 Rubik's Cube (Tony Fisher on YouTube)Go the extra mile with Cool Weird Awesome as a backer on Patreon!

This week we're replaying some short episodes about long races. In this one from April 2023, the Sydney to Melbourne Ultra Marathon in 1983 ends up being won by a guy you wouldn't have expected. Plus: Delaware hosts the Wilmington Coffee Fest. When age and modesty won the race (Sydney Morning Herald)The 61-Year-Old Shepherd Who Shuffled His Way to an Unlikely Ultra Win (Adventure Journal via Archive.org)Wilmington Coffee FestOur Patreon backers get us to the finish line every time, join them with your support today!

Colleges and universities all seem to have their own particular customs and traditions, but few have made students take a vow against one guy, as the University of Oxford did for centuries. Plus: today in 2018, some 18,000 people in Mexico City set a record for a particular type of photo. The persistence of tradition: the curious case of Henry Symeonis (Oxford Bodleian Library) 18,000 Mexicans get naked (NBC News)Take a vow today to back our show on Patreon

National Train Day is this Saturday, and that may be an opportune time to drop by Budapest, Hungary, which is home to an entire train service run by children. Plus: starting today in Louisiana, it's the Rayne Frog Festival. The Budapest Children's Railway (Kottke)  Rayne Frog Festival (Rayne Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture) Keep this show on the tracks as a backer on Patreon

Today in 1927, the birthday of Edsel Ford Fong, who became an institution in San Francisco's Chinatown. People said he was the rudest waiter in the world… and they loved him for it (!) Plus: a new installation at a modern art museum in Berlin lets visitors build with hundreds of thousands of wooden blocks. Memories, anecdotes and snippets through time of Sam Wo (SFGate.com via Archive.org) Lina Lapelytė Fills Hamburger Bahnhof with 400,000 Wood Blocks for Communal Building (Colossal)It would be very nice of you to back our show on Patreon

Today in 1924, the Olympic Games were underway in Paris. And it was at these Games that a former Olympian swimming champion won a medal far outside the water. Plus: Clinton, Iowa has unveiled a series of wooden sculptures around town that nod to the community's history with timber. 5 Odd Events from the 1924 Games We Will Sorely Miss at the Paris Olympics (Outside Online)Experience the Thomas Dambo Trolls in Clinton (Grow Clinton)Be a champion when you back this show on Patreon

For Orange Juice Day, the story of how the Florida Department of Citrus teamed up with Marvel Comics to create a superhero that promotes orange growers. Plus: NASA teams up with the alphabet for a new public tool called Your Name In Landsat.The Story of Marvel's New Branded Superhero, Captain Citrus (AdWeek)This tool from NASA uses fractions of the earths surface, taken by satellite, to spell out your name. (Present & Correct via Bluesky)You could be a superhero for our show as a backer on Patreon

Today in 1897, the start of an event which gave the city of Nashville a pretty memorable structure: a full-scale exact replica of the Parthenon. Plus: if you like to go to fairs mostly for the food, you may want to head today to Springfield, Missouri for the Corndog Kickoff. About the Parthenon (Nashville Parthenon)Corndog Kickoff (Ozark Empire Fairgrounds)It's all Greek to me how crowdfunding works but maybe back our show on Patreon anyway

Today in 1934, the birthday of Mario Segale, a real estate developer in the Seattle area who ended up playing a pretty big role in video game history. Plus: today, Springfield, Missouri begins the Route 66 Centennial Kickoff. Mario Segale, Seattle-area real estate developer who inspired Nintendo's Super Mario, dies at 84 (Seattle Times)Everything You Need to Know About the Route 66 Centennial Kickoff in Springfield, Missouri in 2026 (Visit Springfield, Missouri)Let's-a go over to this show's Patreon page so you can drop a few of those gravity-defying Mario coins in there

Today in 1999, the birthday of Tama the cat, who is likely the only cat who ever saved a train line in rural Japan from shutting down. Plus: this weekend in Pennsylvania, it's the Lititz Pretzel Fest. The cat who saved a Japanese rail line (BBC)Lititz Pretzel Fest We don't have a cat, but our show does have great backers on Patreon. Join them today

Today in 2018, the official Twitter account for the country of Sweden made a shocking admission: the country's culinary signature, Swedish meatballs, originally came from outside Sweden! Plus: this Saturday is Free Comic Book Day. And for the first time in a long time, kids in Sacramento, California will be able to legally take part. Swedish meatballs originally Turkish dish: Swedish government (Hurriyet Daily News) Sacramento City Council repeals kids' comic book ban (FOX 40)Feed our podcast as a backer on Patreon

It's King's Day in the Netherlands; maybe a few people will makr the holiday by taking part in a sport in which people essentially pole vault over water. Plus: there's a new installation at the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco that includes a lot of imagination and a bit of upcycling. What is Fierljeppen? A look at the Netherlands' extreme canal vaulting sport (EuroNews)Obsolete Compact Discs Are Transformed Into Towering, Shimmering Sculptures (My Modern Met)Leap on over to our Patreon page and support this show today

This week we're replaying some of our favorite shows about the stuff that makes the world go round. In this episode from April 2022, a visit to a room at the Arkansas State Capitol where you can hold the state's money in your hands. Plus: Albuquerque, New Mexico hosts the Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest. Arkansas Treasurer's Office: About UsSouthwest Chocolate & Coffee FestOur Patreon backers put money into the show and make every episode possible

This week we're replaying some of our favorite shows about the stuff that makes the world go round. In this episode from January 2020, the story of how printing enthusiast Benjamin Franklin used his cleverness and creativity to try to head off the big problem of counterfeiters. Plus: New Orleans hosts the Samantha Fish Cigar Box Guitar Festival.Library of Congress exhibit explores early American notes (Coin World)Samantha Fish stops by to talk cigar box festival (WGNO)You can support Cool Weird Awesome on Patreon for just $1 a month! No counterfeit bills, please. 

This week we're replaying some of our favorite shows about the stuff that makes the world go round. In this episode from May 2019, Australians laugh, curse, sigh and facepalm over a misspelled word on the newest printing of their $50 note. Plus: a guy in Grand Haven, Michigan drives through town with a cardboard box containing $30,000 in cash. And of course the box fell off his truck and the money started flying all over the place. Huge typo spotted on new $50 note (News.com.au)Bank alerted to Joyce coin risk (The Herald of Dublin)Error Is Human, Pt. 1: Certifiable U.S. Paper Money Errors (Coin Week)People rush to grab whirling cash after $30,000 falls off back of truck (MLive)Back Cool Weird Awesome on Patreon for just $1 a month!

This week we're replaying some of our favorite shows about the stuff that makes the world go round. In this episode from July 2022, the story of how and why the US Congress decided that the name of our country's currency would be the dollar. Plus: when Althea Gibson made history at Wimbledon, even the woman she beat was singing her praises. The Almighty Dollar (AdamSmith.org)Althea Gibson: Tennis Turmoil and Triumph (Library of Congress)For just one dollar a month you can help fund this show on Patreon!

This week we're replaying some of our favorite shows about the stuff that makes the world go round. In this episode from July 2022, a visit to Tenino, Washington, where wooden money has been making a mark for decades. Plus: if you feel like you've been to every museum and you're not sure what to do next, try the German Food Additives Museum. Why Tenino is still printing wooden money (KING 5)There is a museum dedicated to food additives in Hamburg, Germany (Boing Boing)For just $1 a month (regular bills or wooden money) you can help support this show on Patreon

It's International Bat Appreciation Day. Bats are smart, versatile and often adorable in their way. But they do have minds of their own… which foiled a project that seemed like a useful idea for the Florida Keys. Plus: today in 2018, a story about a Pennsylvanian who had an airtight reason to get out of jury duty. BAT TOWER SEEMED LIKE GOOD IDEA, BUT NO ONE TOLD THE BATS (Chicago Tribune)4-year-old Summoned for Jury Duty, Excused for Preschool (WNEP)Join our “colony” of backers on Patreon

Today in 2018, Fast Company published an article called “What You Can Learn From 7 Of The Most Cringeworthy Job Interviews.” One lesson: yelling at your parrot for interrupting the conversation may not work out well. Especially if the parrot yells back. Plus: this month in Turkey, it's the Istanbul Tulip Festival. What You Can Learn From 7 Of The Most Cringeworthy Job Interviews (Fast Company)Istanbul Tulip Festival (Visit Istanbul) Want more stories about swearing parrots? Back this podcast on Patreon

Greens are good for us, and a new study finds greens are good for soil that's been contaminated with toxic metals… which may also be a big deal in the world of mining. Plus: this month in 1925, the state of Oregon first flew its official flag. It's the only American state flag where the image on the back is different from what's on the front. Kale, cabbage found effective at mining toxic thallium metal from polluted soil (Interesting Engineering)Oregon State Flag (Oregon Encyclopedia)Want this show to grow? Back us on Patreon

On this day in 1912, the Titanic, the iceberg… the whole thing. But there was a nearly-identical ship from the same company called RMS Olympic. How weird must it have been that right after the sinking, there was a very very similar ship out there on the sea?!? Plus: one guy who had been aboard both of those ships in their worst moments was also aboard like three other shipwrecks?!? Seeing Double: The Titanic's Ghostly Twin Sister (Messy Nessy Chic)Arthur John Priest: The Unsinkable Stoker (Amusing Planet)Make our show unsinkable as a backer on Patreon

Today in 2010, a big sale in Washington state: a woman sold a couple an entire town. And it turns out that owning an entire town, even a small, unincorporated community, can be a challenge. Plus: oday in 1743, the birthday of Thomas Jefferson. You can tour his home, Monticello, today in Virginia - or if you're in or near Somers, Connecticut, you can see a replica of the third president's house. Tour Deshais: Closure a downer on dry stretch (The Spokesman-Review)THERE'S A REPLICA OF THOMAS JEFFERSON'S MONTICELLO IN CONNECTICUT (Untapped New York)Let's grow our community of supporters on Patreon, back this show today

This month in 1928, a West Virginia family found what would eventually be recognized as the largest alluvial diamond ever discovered in North America.  But for a while, the finders of that gem just put it in a box and left it in place. Plus: starting today in Stamford, Connecticut, it's the 45th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. The Jones Diamond, the largest alluvial diamond in North America, was found in West Virginia(WBOY)The 45th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament Support this show on Patreon and help make it shine and sparkle like a diamond

Today in 1949, one of the biggest names in TV helped usher in a big part of TV history. Before the famous Jerry Lewis telethons, Milton Berle hosted a televised fundraiser for 16 straight hours in New York. Plus: coming up this weekend, it's the Chicago Tea Festival. Hollywood Flashback: Milton Berle Hosted the First Star Telethon in 1949 (Hollywood Reporter)Chicago Tea Festival 2026 We don't do telethons, but you can back our podcast on Patreon

Cambodia just put up a statue to honor someone who made a great contribution to public safety.  His name was Magawa, and he was an African giant pouched rat who just happened to be trained to detect land mines. Plus: a "simulated skylight" is a recessed ceiling fixture that uses LEDs to make it look like you're seeing in the sky, even in rooms where you can't. Cambodia unveils statue to honour famous landmine-sniffing rat (BBC)Simulated Skylight (The Awesomer)We honor our Patreon backers, who help make this show possible

These times aren't exactly easy for farmers, especially ones who grow in water-limited areas. But there's a new project out of the University of California - Riverside that might help - and I'm pleased to tell you that it involves robots. Plus: the Facebook page Anonymous Works just featured a Star Trek fan's labor of love. ‘More crop per drop': New UC Riverside irrigation robot is adorable — and revolutionary (University of California)A remarkable collection came up for auction the other day (Anonymous Works via Facebook)Drop by our page on Patreon, where every drop of support adds up

Parts of England celebrated the Monday after the holiday with a special custom of picking strangers up off the ground for money. Sure, why not. Plus: today in 1909, the Peary expedition reached what they believed to be the North Pole, which wound up bewildering then-President William Howard Taft a bit. Lifting and Heaving: An Easter Custom (University of Leicester via Archive.org)GIVES NORTH POLE TO TAFT (The Spokesman-Review via Google News Archive)Lift up this show every day as a backer on Patreon

It's Easter weekend. Many people my age will fondly remember getting Cadbury Creme Eggs this time of year… or is it that they fondly remember those TV commercials promoting the eggs? Plus: in Buffalo, New York, many Polish Catholics in Buffalo, New York have another tasty and delicious Easter tradition, the butter lamb. A Brief History of the Cadbury Egg (The Kitchn) Behold the Butter Lamb of God: A Polish Catholic Easter Tradition Beloved in Buffalo, New York (Smithsonian Magazine)For the price of one candy egg a month you can back this show on Patreon

Today in 1951, a 19 year old sent three words out into the world on the shell of an egg: “Please write me.” Her message simple and effective… though it took a long time for the reply to come in. Plus: starting this Saturday in Brighton, Missouri, the Tulip & Baby Animal Festival. ‘Please write me,' she scribbled on a random egg in 1951. Someone just did. (Washington Post)Tulip & Baby Animal Festival If we wrote “please back us” on the side of an egg, would you visit our Patreon page?

Today in 2019, the world learned about a time when a TV host got some medical help from a viewer at home. Plus: the parent company of KitKat warns chocolate lovers in Europe that they may run into a few shortages, after a 12-ton chocolate bar heist!?!Inside Edition's Deborah Norville to Undergo Surgery for Cancerous Thyroid Nodule After Viewer Spotted Lump (Inside Edition)Nestlé says 12 tonnes of KitKat chocolate stolen in Europe (Le Monde)Our listeners help us out too; join them in backing our show on Patreon

Reforestation is a big part of the world's efforts to curb global warming, but a new study finds it isn't just the number of trees that makes the difference for the earth, it's where you plant them. Plus: in Surrey, British Columbia, a cat named Louis is flaunting international law and convention by crossing the US-Canada border to chase mice. Not every forest cools the Earth (ETH Zurich)Cat keeps crossing the U.S.-Canada border (CTV News via YouTube)Help plant the future of our show as a backer on Patreon

Ever get excited when a class or a meeting gets canceled and you have an extra hour? Researchers have shown that we actually get more excited about the time we gain back than time that was never filled up to begin with. Plus: the AllStrum guitar can help people with disabilities play chords and rock out. Why a Canceled Meeting Feels so Liberating (Rutgers University)An innovation that strikes a chord (Yale Engineering)Use a couple minutes of free time and $1 a month to back our show on Patreon

Major League BASEBALL is back. And there's a device that can help blind or visually impaired baseball fans follow all of the action with more detail than ever, and in real time, too. Plus: the St. Petersburg, Florida Museum of History is home to Schrader's Little Cooperstown, which has the largest collection of autographed baseballs in the world. onecourt's haptic device lets the visually impaired watch live sports using their fingertips (designboom) World's Largest Collection of Autographed Baseballs (Roadside America)Take me out to the Cool Weird Awesome Patreon page, where you can back this show today

Today in 1976, another history making moment for Queen Elizabeth II. En route to becoming the longest-reigning monarch in world history, she became the first royal to send an email. Plus: today in 1859, inventor William Redgrave received two patents in the UK for what he called a "pillow traveling cap." On This Day in Royal History: Queen Elizabeth Sent the First-Ever Royal Email in 1976! (People)William Redgrave's Safety Travelling Cap (Weird Universe) Hear ye, hear ye! Back our show on Patreon today!

Today in 1968, a big encounter in Cleveland, Ohio, when a rock legend got to hang out with a Star Trek icon. Plus: Alliance, Ohio is home to The Troll Hole, a museum and shop that has the world's largest collection of troll dolls.When Jimi Hendrix met Spock: the incredible story of the guitar legend's encounter with a sci-fi icon (Guitar World)The Troll Hole Museum Hang out with us on our Patreon page, and back the show while you're there

The “Course des Cafés,” or the waiters' race, is an old Parisian tradition meant to celebrate the hardworking servers in a city famous for its restaurant culture. And yes, they compete in their formal work clothes. Plus: authorities in Minnesota want you to know that a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card from Monopoly does not work in a real traffic stop. The Great Parisian Waiters Race (Messy Nessy Chic)Last night a deputy did a traffic stop (Chisago County Sheriff's Office via Facebook) No need to wait to back our show, drop by our Patreon page today

Today in 1929, the birthday of Roger Bannister. He was the first athlete to run a mile in under four minutes… and he did it on a work day. Plus: the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in Montana has a program where their bears serve as testers for companies that make "bear-proof" food storage containers. A tribute to Sir Roger Bannister (NHS Imperial College Healthcare)PRODUCT TESTING (Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center)Race on over to our Patreon page so you can support this show

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about signs, captions and other adaptations. In this episode from April 2020, the University of Virginia's Disabilities Studies Symposium produces a version of a 1950s opera called “Dialogues of the Carmelites,” with both singers and ASL performers. Plus: Theremin Cat goes viral for putting its head and paws in just the right places to make the instrument squeak and squawk.Singing and Signing: ‘Deaf Opera' Comes to Grounds (University of Virginia)Cat Plays With A Theremin And Is Completely And Utterly Befuddled (Digg)Cool Weird Awesome sounds great because of its backers on Patreon

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about signs, captions and other adaptations. In this episode from October 2019, we find out about the Soundshirt, a high-tech piece of clothing that can help deaf people feel music. Plus: a trombonist in England lets loose in the middle of the music with the most musical sneeze of all time.The Soundshirt lets deaf people feel music on their skin (designboom)Man sneezes into his trombone during concert – Tiptree sneeze (YouTube)Tiptree trombone sneeze man tells of ‘freak event' (BBC)

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about signs, captions and other adaptations. In this episode from March 2021, we mark the day in 1980 when the major broadcast networks began regularly providing closed captioning for their shows, serving Deaf viewers along with hearing ones. Plus: some fans of The Mandalorian create a 46 foot long, 13 foot high replica of the main character's spaceship, the Razor Crest.How Deaf Advocates Won the Battle for Closed Captioning and Changed the Way Americans Watch TV (Time)Closed captioning (Quartz)Star Wars fans ‘land' Mandalorian's Razor Crest spaceship in Russia (South China Morning Post)Let's join forces on Patreon like Mando and Carl Weathers do

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about signs, captions and other adaptations. In this episode from August 2022, two Deaf climbers describe their system for communicating when they're up high. Plus: an island way out in the ocean that's only reachable for part of the time has a very appropriate name. How Two Deaf Mountaineers Thrive on High Peaks (Outside)The Questionable Rewards of a Visit to Inaccessible Island (Atlas Obscura)Our Patreon backers keep us scaling the heights day after day

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about signs, captions and other adaptations. In this episode from July 2020, the story of the time several decades ago that Deaf students at a school in Nicaragua created their own language. Plus: in 2017, two divers off the coast of Mexico found a flooded cave that research concludes was a mine for ochre pigment thousands and thousands of years ago. The Amazing Story of Deaf Children in 1980s Nicaragua Inventing a Brand New Language (Twisted Sifter)Canadian scuba diver in Mexico accidentally discovers vast, prehistoric industrial complex (National Post)Discover the joys of being of a Cool Weird Awesome backer on Patreon

This week in 1911, a telephone operator in Oklahoma, Rose Coppinger, became a local hero. During a massive fire in the downtown district, she took it upon herself to call everyone in town that she could to get them to safety, while also calling for help in stopping the fire. Plus: coming up, a really rare find at an antique store in East Durham, New York. Telephone operator warns citizens of fire and saves lives (The Brook, IN Reporter via Newspapers.com) Owl found napping on antique store shelf in New York (UPI)We're calling on you to back this show today on Patreon

If this Thursday had taken place in the 1970s or 80s, people in Iceland would've been doing just about anything other than watching television. That's because the country's public broadcasting service only broadcast six days a week; on Thursdays there were no shows. Plus: another thing you wouldn't find in Iceland for many years was boxing, though that had an unintended side effect. Icelandic television was not broadcast on Thursdays until 1987 (History.com)Illegal in Iceland: Quirky Bans From the Land of Fire and Ice (Smithsonian)Help us bring this show all over the world as a backer on Patreon