Cool Weird Awesome With Brady Carlson

When it comes to sweets, words matter. Research from the Ohio State University just found that the words we use to describe food can affect how we perceive its taste. Plus: artist Tatsuya Tanaka posts images of worlds he’s created by transforming everyday objects.  How to ruin the taste of a cookie with just 2 words (Ohio State University) Ordinary objects used to create a miniature world (Messy Nessy) Our world is brighter every day thanks to our Patreon backers --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1990, a high school basketball player scored 101 points in just 16 minutes. That was Lisa Leslie, who would become one of the biggest names in the WNBA. That One Time: Lisa Leslie Scored 101 Points in a High School Game (24/7 Live Culture) Olympians That Win Silver Tend To Live Longer Than Those That Win Gold (UNILAD) Let's set some records together, join our show as a backer on Patreon! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

For the next two weeks, Winter Olympians will be going for the gold. That's what javelin thrower Bruce Kennedy tried to do in 1972, 1976 and 1980, but that's not quite how things played out. Plus: you know how some medalists bite their prizes? As one medalist proved, this should be done with caution. With the Tokyo Olympics Facing Uncertainty, Bruce Kennedy Knows The Landscape (Cal Sports Report via SI.com) Luger David Moeller breaks tooth on medal (News.com.au) Our Patreon backers are gold every time --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1945, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, began heading to England for deployment. These 855 servicemembers, all Black women, took on a mission that may not have been glamorous but was considered absolutely essential to the war effort. Plus: today in 1947, TIME Magazine reported on a trip by a BBC crew that didn't go quite so well.  The Black Female Battalion That Stood Up to a White Male Army (New York Times) 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion (U.S. Army Center of Military History) Miscellany, Feb. 3, 1947 (TIME) Our show is powered by our listener-backers on Patreon! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1970, an Air Force pilot had to eject from his fighter jet during a training exercise. So the plane just sort of got itself back onto the ground, mostly successfully. Plus: in 1974, the "Hibernating Groundhog Lodge" of Quarryville, PA built a contraption intended to get weather predictions from not just one groundhog, but thousands of them.  “Gary, You Better Get Back In It!” (Air Force Magazine) Groundhog Detector (Weird Universe) Our Patreon backers keep this show flying - join them for just $1 a month  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1939, the birthday of Wally Funk. She first passed astronaut training in her 20s and could have been one of the first US astronauts, but after some 60 years of trying, she finally got into space. Plus: today in 2016, ScreenDaily reported on the ten hour movie “Paint Drying," which shows just what the title suggests.  Who Is Wally Funk? Photo Reveals "Mercury 13" Aviator Is Third Blue Origin Passenger (Inverse)  'Paint Drying' director in talks to screen protest film (ScreenDaily) Help keep this show flying as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

There's a new way to use the leftover shells from hazelnuts to make wood-like panels and furniture. So you might want to get yourself some Nutella while we explain how it works. Plus: today in 1997, the last message in Morse Code before the world moved to the more high-tech Global Maritime Distress and Safety System for distress calls. And the message was kind of a bummer.  Hazelnut shells get new life as strong, sustainable panels (Washington State University) ... --- ... .-. .. .--. (SOS, RIP) (The Economist via Archive.org) Here's our message: our Patreon backers are really great --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Villas Las Estrellas is a tiny community run by Chile on Antarctica's King George Island. And it's so remote that one of the rules is that everyone who lives or works there has to have their appendix out before they show up. Plus: an art exhibit in DC celebrates TV legend Betty White, as we all should.  The Antarctica outpost where every resident must remove their appendix (News.com.au) Māori May Have Reached Antarctica 1,000 Years Before Europeans (Smithsonian) Betty White’s Life and Work Take Center Stage at This New DC Art Exhibit (Thrillist) Thanks to each of our Patreon backers for being a friend --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

For many Native people in the U.S. and beyond, this is a time of year to tell stories with string. Here's a little about how they work, and why in many places they're only told in winter. Plus: Forest Grove, Oregon is home to the world’s tallest barber pole. 'String games' arrive with the snow (Indian Country Today) Forest Grove, Oregon: World's Tallest Barber Shop Pole (Roadside America) Help us share more stories as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today was the birthday in 1925 of actor and entrepreneur Paul Newman, who made some very popular and very acclaimed movies. But there was one movie he made that he loathed so much, he actually took out ads to convince people not to watch it. Plus: meet Hoss, the world’s largest ball of human hair. THE SILVER CHALICE, Paul Newman and a $1200 ad… (By The Gods) Meet Hoss, the World’s Largest Human Hair Ball (Oddity Central) Our Patreon backers are awesome on an epic scale --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1890, Nellie Bly finished her trip around the world. She was trying to do what Jules Verne's character Phineas Fogg had done in 80 days, and she took just 72. Plus: today in 2021, a butcher in Scotland marked Burns Night in a stellar way.  Nellie Bly: Around the World (Heinz History Center)  Haggis launched to the edge of space in celebration of Burns Night (Sky News) Our backers on Patreon keep this show's world turning --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1975, one of the best selling jazz albums of all time was recorded - a live concert in Cologne, Germany by pianist Keith Jarrett. And it almost didn't happen at all. Plus: the Instagram account Brik Font showcases some of the biggest and best typefaces, all in LEGO form. Keith Jarrett: The Cologne Concert (BBC For One Night Only) Typeface Studies by Designer Craig Ward Recreate Fonts and Iconic Logos in LEGO (Colossal) Our Patreon backers make every episode of our show sound just right  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1942 the city of New York decided to take on the scourge of the time, the invention that had been the ruin of so many people… pinball. Here's a look at why what's considered a pretty harmless hobby in our day was such a menace back then. Plus: this weekend in Minneapolis, it’s the Lake Harriet Winter Kite Festival. That Time America Outlawed Pinball (History.com) The War On Pinball (Slate) Lake Harriet Kite Festival We always get an extra ball with help from our Patreon backers --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

A team at the University of British Columbia has come up with a way to make durable, stretchy and waterproof batteries that could be useful in wearable devices. Plus: three crew members on the International Space Station try out what they call orbital badminton. Scientists create the first stretchable and washable battery (designboom) Video: Orbital badminton in 360 degrees (Phys.org) Our Patreon backers have come up with a way to make new episodes of our show, join them!  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1942 was the birthday of Bob Heft, who designed a 50-star US flag for a high school class project as Alaska and Hawaii were on their way to statehood. Plus: it's the birthday of Edgar Allan Poe, who was almost portrayed on the big screen by a pretty big Hollywood star.  A Boy Scout designed the 50-star American flag (Scouting Magazine) Robert G. Heft (Ohio History Central) Stallone Shows Why He Was Wrong for Edgar Allan Poe, But Vows to Finish Script (Movieweb) We salute our Patreon backers for making this show possible --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1882 author A.A. Milne was born. His most famous character, Winnie the Pooh, was named partly for a real bear who lived at the London Zoo. And yes, the real Winnie had a sweet tooth as well. Plus: the new book "Do Not Erase" features the artistic side of math professor's chalkboards.  The True Story of the Real-Life Winnie-the-Pooh (History.com) 90 weird and wonderful facts about Winnie-the-Pooh (CBC) Beauty on the blackboard: New book captures mathematicians’ chalk experiments (University of Chicago) Our Patreon backers are as sweet as honey --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

On this Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, we look at how music legend Stevie Wonder and his song "Happy Birthday" helped raise awareness in the effort to create a national holiday in Dr. King's honor.  Signed, Sealed, Delivered: How Stevie Wonder Fought—and Won—for MLK Day (VH1) Flashback: Stevie Wonder Sings ‘Happy Birthday’ at 1986 Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute (Rolling Stone) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Traffic jams are becoming more and more common on the roads heading to ski country. A new app called Treadshare could help people carpool to and from the mountains. Plus: this weekend in Ely, Nevada, the Fire & Ice Winter Festival brings fireworks to the coldest part of the year.  Can carpooling help congestion on I-70? (Vail Daily) Fire & Ice Winter Festival (Travel Nevada)  We'd ride anywhere with our Patreon backers --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1968 Johnny Cash recorded “At Folsom Prison." Today it's arguably his most acclaimed album ever, but it only came about as a last resort. Plus: musician Andy Thorn recently gave a concert to a very different kind of audience. Johnny Cash’s ‘At Folsom Prison’ at 50: An Oral History (Rolling Stone) The Fox and the Banjo (The Awesomer) Our Patreon backers are the ones who make all of our performances possible --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1961, the Chicago Cubs announced they wouldn't hire a manager for the new season, and would instead use a rotating "College" of coaches. You can probably guess how well that worked out. Plus: the Author Clock shows you the time not simply as a set of numbers, but as part of a quote from a well-known book. P.K. Wrigley and the College of Coaches (The Hardball Times) The literature clock tells you the current time using a literary snippet (Messy Nessy) Our college of Patreon supporters works pretty well, why not join us?  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support