Cool Weird Awesome With Brady Carlson

If you’re trying to eat healthier in the new year, maybe by cutting back on salt, here’s something that might help: cutlery that can make food seem saltier without the added salt. Plus: this Sunday at Terhune Orchards in Princeton, New Jersey, it's Wassailing the Apple Trees. electric spoon, bowl, and chopsticks trick taste buds by making food 'saltier' (designboom) Wassailing the Apple Trees (Terhune Orchards) Our Patreon backers add a little more flavor to every episode of our show --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1956, the US issued a patent for Play-Doh. Millions of kids have built bazillions of things with this colorful stuff, but in its first life, Play-Doh had a very different job: cleaning soot off wallpaper. Plus: a mom in Chicago finds a clever way to get her gamer daughter to take food out of the freezer.  Why Play Doh Stays Hugely Popular, 60 Years Later (Fortune) Made in Jersey: Play-Doh is a Dover teacher's handiwork (NJ.com) Mother Goes Viral After She Pulled Up on Daughter on Roblox, Told Her To Sit ‘Lasagna Out’ (Black Enterprise)  Our Patreon backers have helped us build this show for almost five years. You can help too with just $1 a month! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Too much waste plastic? Too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Researchers in the UK may have a partial solution for both problems: a process that uses solar energy to convert plastic and greenhouse gases into useful products. Plus: a fancy new wastebasket is partly made of waste plastic and sawdust from the company's factory.  Using solar power to convert plastic and greenhouse gases into sustainable fuels (University of Cambridge) A trash can made from garbage and recycled materials (Inhabitat)  Our Patreon backers help us keep up with all the latest green tech --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today is National Peanut Butter Day. It’s been particularly popular over the last century or so, if you look back even further, you’ll find that peanut butter has been the nutty, crunchy wind beneath our wings for centuries. Plus: a look at a research study from the 2000s called “The Effects of Peanut Butter on the Rotation of the Earth.” A Brief History of Peanut Butter (Smithsonian) The Effects of Peanut Butter on the Rotation of the Earth (Improbable Research) If we're peanut butter, our Patreon backers are our jelly. Or vice versa.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

A lot of us turn to paper towels when there’s a mess to be addressed, but they could also be greener. Researchers are developing a reusable kitchen towel made of hydrogel. Plus: park rangers in Australia have found an invasive cane toad that may be the biggest one ever found, so of course they nicknamed it "Toadzilla." Roll Over, Paper Towels—UMD Researchers Create Picker-Upper That’s Even Quicker (University of Maryland) Australian park rangers say 'Toadzilla' could be world's biggest toad (Reuters) No muss, no fuss when we're with our backers on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

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. Plus: the story of a bird that has perfect timing.  Canada's Ice Hotel Is an Incredible Winter Wonderland — and Now You Can Explore It From Home (Travel + Leisure) 8 Ice and Igloo Hotels to Visit This Winter (UrbanDaddy) Australian Parrot Lands on Redditor’s Bird Book at Exact Moment It’s Open to Its Page (My Modern Met) Nobody's cooler than our Patreon backers --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today was the birthday in 1809 of author Edgar Allan Poe. It was also the day that, for decades, a mysterious individual would pay tribute to the great writer with a mask, three roses and a bottle of cognac. Plus: students at Washington State University have built a life-size version of the game Operation.  Poe’s Memorial Grave (The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore) Life-size ‘Operation’ game provides real-word learning experience (Washington State University) We raise a toast to our Patreon backers, who support every episode of our show! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1943, the US government tried to help the war effort in a way that did NOT go over well. They tried to halt the sales of sliced bread. Plus: for Winnie the Pooh Day, a reminder that there is a world championship for a game from the books known as Poohsticks. Pre-Sliced Bread Was Once Banned in the United States (Today I Found Out) Witney's World Poohsticks Championships mark 35 years (BBC) Our Patreon backers are the best things since sliced bread  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1899 was the birthday of Al Capone. Not everyone would brag about getting a gift from the notorious gangster, but there’s a hospital in Baltimore that’s happy to share its connection. Plus: today in 1931, the birthday of James Earl Jones, legendary actor and occasional CB radio prankster.  For Union Memorial, Al Capone's tree keeps on giving (Baltimore Sun) James Earl Jones on Darth Vader, Mufasa and, natch, Totes McGotes (New York Times) Our Patreon backers planted the seeds that helped this show grow --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Dr. King gave his most famous speech in Washington D.C. When he was in the capital city and when he was hungry, he often stopped at a landmark restaurant known as Ben’s Chili Bowl. Here's some of its story.  My Restaurant Has Hosted Protestors Including MLK for More Than 60 Years (Thrillist)  Ben's Chili Bowl Celebrates 45th Anniversary (CNN) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Tomorrow in Las Vegas, the 2023 AArrow Sign Spinners competition begins, with elite-level sign spinners showing off their best moves. Plus: for National Rubber Ducky Day, a visit to the world’s largest rubber duck store. AArrow Sign Spinners Competition Broward Man Heading to World Sign Spinning Championship in Las Vegas (Miami New Times) Meet 2 sign spinners who will compete in Las Vegas in a worldwide competition (KGW) The World’s Largest Rubber Duck Store, Ducks in the Window, Offers Quirky Gifts In Massachusetts (Only In Massachusetts) Our Patreon backers are all champions --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 2015, the first news reports about Eclipse, a dog in Seattle that had figured out how to get itself to the dog park on the city bus. Plus: Comet 2022 E3 (ZTF) is going to be visible from Earth this month and in early February, and you probably don’t want to wait until its next go-round to see it. Seattle dog's rush hour ride: on the bus, by herself, weekly (KOMO News) Bus-riding dog who took herself to park remembered as ‘Seattle icon’ (Washington Post) A comet not seen since 50,000 years will be visible again in early 2023 (Interesting Engineering) We keep on riding thanks to our Patreon backers --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

When the snow and ice comes, it makes me think of getting out the snowblower. But a snowy city in Japan thinks, we could power our lights with this. Plus: a scenic train in Japan's Miyazaki Prefecture is now running on a special kind of fuel that's made in part from leftover ramen broth. Electricity from snow? A Japanese city believes it can be done (Nikkei) This Japanese Train Ditched Conventional Fuel and Now Runs on Leftover Ramen Broth (My Modern Met) Our Patreon backers keep us from running hot and cold  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

A lot of products, even some otherwise green ones, still use a lot of disposable single-use plastic. But there’s a research project that aims to replace that plastic wrapping with a completely biodegradable version made from cranberries. Plus: Vollebak has some literally green-tech, a solar-powered winter jacket that gives off a green glow in the dark. Could Dissolvable Cranberry Film Replace Plastic Packaging Someday? (Modern Farmer) Vollebak’s Latest Puffer Glows in the Dark – But That’s Just One of Its Features Worth Noting (Cool Material) Help our show grow - and glow - as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1913, the birthday of Richard Nixon, 37th president of the United States, and the only one who ever went a wild ride with the head of the Soviet Union. Plus: next month in Denmark, they’re opening a museum on the site of REGAN Vest, the country’s Cold War bunker. Town Car Diplomacy – 40 Years Ago (Nixon Foundation) Venture Into the Apocalypse at This Bunker-Turned-Museum in Europe (Thrillist) It's always a sweet ride when we're with our backers on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1912, New Mexico became the 47th state in the Union. And so far, it’s the only one where a state lawmaker tried to make expert witnesses dress like wizards in court. Plus: tomorrow in Yuma, Arizona, the Yuma Medjool Date Festival! Odd Law Alert: New Mexico Expert Wizard Amendment (University of Cincinnati Law Review) Yuma Medjool Date Festival  Our Patreon backers are magical  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today was the birthday in 1914 of the man who brought spray can and whipped cream together: Aaron “Bunny” Lapin. Plus: today in 1895, the birthday of pioneering microbiologist Dr. Rebecca Lancefield. Some scientists mark her accomplishments by making her recipe for eggnog.  Aaron 'Bunny' Lapin, 85, Dies (Washington Post) Aaron S. Lapin, Reddi-wip Creator, Dies at 85 (New York Times) More Evidence That Eggnog Goes Better With Booze (NPR) We raise a toast to our backers on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

It's the first Wednesday of the new year. How come many of us don’t pronounce it “WED-ns-day”? Plus: around this time in 1939, Lyra Ferguson of Missouri set a goal of traveling to each of the then-48 states and finding a job in each of them, for just one week. Why 'Wednesday' Isn't Pronounced the Way It's Spelled (HowStuffWorks) 45 Jobs in 45 States (Weird Universe) Our Patreon backers make our show possible every day of the week --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

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! Plus: today in 2020, people in Venice saw an unusual sight: two emu-like birds known as rhea or nandu took a train ride into the city and then roamed around like tourists. The Leaning Tower of Pisa Now Leans Less, Its Infamous Tilt Having Been Reduced by 1.6 Inches Over the Last Two Decades (Artnet) Emu-like birds' Venice day out earns fines for owners (The Guardian) We lean on our Patreon backers, and they make every episode of this show possible --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Most people have O, A, B or AB type blood, but there are dozens of rarer blood types, including Rhnull, which is sometimes called "golden blood." Plus: Today in 1978, a guy in a snowman costume ended up on fire?!?  'Golden blood' - only 43 people in the world have this rare blood type (Jerusalem Post)  Landry, Cowboy Coach, Enjoys Day at Movies (New York Times) Our Patreon backers are as good as gold --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support