Somebody Put A Big Pumpkin Way Up On Top Of A Cornell University Tower
Today in 1997, a very gourd day on the campus of Cornell University: people found a very large pumpkin on top of McGraw Tower, 173 feet in the air.
The New York Times Used To Have A Period In Its Logo
The newspaper business has changed a lot since the peak of print, like how the New York Times took a very small but important punctuation mark out of its logo.
Sputnik Kicked Off The Space Age, And Also Gave Us The Word “Beatnik”
Today in 1957, Sputnik because the world’s first artificial satellite. This changed the world around us in countless ways, including one that doesn’t get a lot of attention: it gave the English language a brand new word.
Even The Inventor Of Inline Skates Crashed Once In A While
It's National Roller Skating Month, and we’re going all the way back to the guy who created the first skates. It's a little reassuring that even he had trouble rolling along like the rest of us.
The History Of Margarine Hasn’t Always Been Smooth
Today in 1869, inventor Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès received the French patent for margarine. The butter substitute is used around the world today, though for a while it was banned in parts of the US.
The New York Earth Room Is An Apartment Filled With Dirt, For Art’s Sake
Today in 1935, the birthday of Walter De Maria, an artist behind one of the most unusual art installations you’ll ever come across: a loft in New York that he filled with dirt.
Barry Marshall Pinpointed The Cause Of Most Ulcers By Giving Himself One
Today in 1951, the birth of Barry Marshall, a Nobel Prize winning doctor who, while working with colleague Robin Warren, proved what was behind most ulcers by giving himself an ulcer.
Rabbit Show Jumping Might Be The Most Adorable Sport
Tomorrow is International Rabbit Day, so today we’re going to celebrate the real and very cute sport known as rabbit show jumping.
In Iceland, People Help Baby Puffins By Throwing Them Off Cliffs
Around this time of year, volunteers on the Westman Islands, off Iceland's southern coast, are on puffling patrol, trying to help lost baby puffins get to sea by tossing them off cliffs. As one does.
Keeping Mold From Growing On Space Stations Takes Extra Effort, But It’s Worth It
Astronauts who live and work on space stations have to make sure to clean every last spot in their quarters, partly to keep big balls of moldy goo from growing!