Cool Weird Awesome With Brady Carlson

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about the old ball game. In this episode from August 2021, the story of a very strange thing that happened in a baseball game: a guy on second base ran backwards and stole first base, the base he'd just been on. Plus: why some people end up celebrating music legend Louis Armstrong's birthday a month late. Germany Schaefer (Society for American Baseball Research) FAQ (Louis Armstrong House via Archive.org) Our Patreon backers have stolen our hearts --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This bonus episode is a way to say thanks for all your generosity and encouragement since we debuted on this day in 2019. We had ChatGPT write what it thought was an episode of our podcast; then we had an AI-generated version of Brady's voice "read" that script. It's... interesting. Thanks to our Patreon backers for making every episode of our show possible! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about the old ball game. In this episode from May 2021, an 11 year old pitcher in upstate New York, Katie Brownell, brings her A-game to the Little League field. She not only pitches a perfect game, she strikes out all 18 batters she faces! Plus: Houston's famous Art Car Parade is back this weekend.  Meet Katie Brownell, the girl who once struck out 18 batters in a perfect Little League game (MLB.com) Houston Art Car Parade Our Patreon backers make every episode of this show a hit --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about the old ball game. In this episode from July 2020, we celebrate Leroy "Satchel" Paige, perhaps the most legendary pitcher baseball ever saw. Paige was a star for decades, and once pitched three scoreless innings in the major leagues at age 59. Plus: we'll visit the man who earned the world's first degree in ninja studies.  Fifty years ago, Satchel Paige pitched his last big-league game in KC ... at age 59 (Kansas City Star) Meet the Japanese man who holds the world's only master's degree in ninja studies (CNN) Joining Cool Weird Awesome's backers on Patreon is almost as fast as a Trouble Ball - almost. Nothing's as fast as a Trouble Ball.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about the old ball game. In this episode from March 2019, we hear about the first pro ump in the big leagues. When Billy McLean wasn't calling balls and strikes, he was occasionally challenging hecklers to fistfights. The first major-league umpire was a Philadelphian (Philly.com) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

This week we're replaying some of our favorite episodes about the old ball game. In this episode from October 2021, we remember the iconic World Series moment when Carlton Fisk waved his game-winning home run fair. The legendary clip was caught by the camera kind of by accident. Plus: a couple in the UK gets a ticket because a traffic camera caught their car driving in the bus-only lane, except that they weren't in the bus-only lane. Or in a car. Or in that city.  How Carlton Fisk's 1975 home run changed TV sports forever (Boston Globe) Bus lane camera mistakes woman's sweater for number plate (BBC) Our Patreon backers make every episode of our show a winner  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

Dad jokes may not be good jokes, but they may be good for us: a study from The British Psychological Society shows how telling a very simple, groan-inducing joke is a pretty complex process. Plus: why scientists in Germany are naming their new anti-fungal compounds after Keanu Reeves. 'Dad jokes? That’s the way eye roll…’ (British Psychological Society) Keanumycins: Keanu Reeves inspires name of newly-discovered fungus-killing bacteria (Esquire) Joining us on Patreon would be a most excellent adventure --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

A team at the University of Manchester has developed a kind of “cosmic concrete” for building structures on Mars - and the key ingredient comes from potatoes. Plus: today in 1991, the Wall Street Journal reported on an unusual training session for the Seattle Police Department. Scientists develop a ‘cosmic concrete’ that is twice as strong as regular concrete (University of Manchester) Seattle Police Head Back to Class For a Course in Chair-Sitting 101 (Wall Street Journal) Help us build new episodes of the show as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

The University of Cambridge did a study about robotic wellbeing coaches. And it turns out that if we want robots to help us help ourselves… they need to be cute. Plus: NASA has developed a “space cup” which will hold liquids on the International Space Station even without a lid! Robots can help improve mental wellbeing at work – as long as they look right (University of Cambridge) NASA's sci-fi space cup holds a drink without gravity (Mashable) Our Patreon backers keep this show high-tech --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1944, the U.S. Air Force carried out a bombing raid in Montana. Even stranger, they did so at the request of the governor. We'll explain. Plus: you’ve heard the saying everything that’s old is new again? That’s the idea behind the new image series ‘What is lost is (not) lost forever.’ Harmon’s Histories: Kaboom! Wartime explosions rock Miles City, Baker (Missoula Current) midjourney envisions how centuries-long extinct creatures would look today (designboom) Today is Cool Weird Awesome's fourth birthday! Backers on Patreon get an exclusive second episode for today! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1873, the town of Ulysses, Kansas was first established - but not where you’ll find the modern day town of Ulysses, Kansas. We'll explain why they moved, just a few decades after putting themselves on the map. Plus: for the birthday of Mister Rogers, a look at a data visualization of all of his iconic cardigans.  Old Ulysses, Kansas (Legends of Kansas) A Chart Chronicles the Colors of Mister Rogers’ Cardigans from 1969 to 2001 (Colossal) Thanks to our neighbors on Patreon for supporting this show  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Drones are becoming increasingly useful, but they can get damaged and grounded pretty quickly. A team at MIT has found bee-inspired workarounds that would keep impaired robotic crafts flying. Plus: today in 1958, the release of “Johnny’s Greatest Hits” by Johnny Mathis, considered the first ever greatest hits album.  Resilient bug-sized robots keep flying even after wing damage (MIT) First Ever Greatest Hits Album Released Courtesy of Johnny Mathis (Songfacts) Our Patreon backers make this show number one --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Students at Northwestern University have developed SteadyScrib, a customized pen that’s designed to help people with Parkinson’s disease keep writing. Plus: if you prefer old-school typing, the “Shift Happens” simulator lets you type on a virtual typewriter. Don't forget those carriage returns! A pen designed for Parkinson’s patients (Northwestern) An Interactive Typewriter Simulator With a Realistic Feel (Laughing Squid) Write the next chapter in this show's history as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Can you build a wall out of eggshells? You can if you're the Mexican design studio MANUFACTURA, which developed a sustainable way to make bricks out of discarded shells and bio-binders. Plus: the nonprofit group in Oregon called Washed Ashore uses a different kind of waste to make art.  3D-Printing Bricks From Discarded Eggshells (Cool Hunting) Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea  Let's build more episodes of this show together! Join us as a backer on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Some chip brands hit it big on store shelves - but one brand that won legions of adoring fans in prisons. For National Potato Chip Day, the story of The Whole Shabang. Plus: March 14 is Pi Day, because the number Pi starts with 3.14. Supercomputers have helped find the next 62.8 trillion digits that follow.  Chips So Good You'll Have to Go to Jail to Get Them (NBC News) A Supercomputer Just Calculated Pi to a Record-Breaking 62.8 Trillion Digits. So What? (Popular Mechanics) Support from our Patreon backers is what makes our whole shabang possible --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1781 astronomer William Herschel pointed his telescope toward Uranus. But long before the internet’s favorite planet got its very pun-filled name, an astronomer wanted to give it a much more chill one. Plus: modern day scientists have plenty of theories on how Uranus ended up on its side.  Uranus: the first planet discovered with a telescope (Science Museum London) There's a New Hypothesis For How Uranus Ended Up Tipped on Its Side (Science Alert) Discover how you can make new episodes of this show happen on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Daylight Saving Time begins early this Sunday. People have been complaining about the time change, or the lack thereof, since it first came up. So how did it first come up? Plus: around this time in 1998, the UK’s House of Commons did away with a longstanding rule involving hats.  How a New Zealand insect hunter created daylight saving time (The Week) Commons toppers are old hat (The Independent)  It's time to support our show on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Today in 1931, the US Supreme Court issued a ruling that seems to say that a guy who stole an airplane was not guilty of breaking the law against stealing motor vehicles. Though it’s actually a little more complicated than that. We'll explain. Plus: a Lego fan has proposed the company produce a new set that looks like the famous Edvard Munch painting The Scream. HOW TO SELL A STOLEN PLANE (Now I Know) LEGO Ideas The Scream Achieves 10,000 Supporters (The Brick Fan) For just $1 a month you can support this show on Patreon. That's a steal! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Motorcycles just don’t have many of the same safety advantages as cars and trucks. So a company in Sweden is taking one of those safety features and adding it to a rider’s outfit: introducing airbag pants! Plus: March is National Peanut Month, so just a reminder that there is a NUTmobile that drives around the country doing events on behalf of nut producer Planters. Swedish company unveils world’s first airbag jeans for motorcyclists (Interesting Engineering) The Nutty History of the NUTmobile (Planters) Ride with us 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 2016, researchers released a study that showed how to influence rats to make risky bets in a “rat casino.” Plus: for National Cereal Day, the story of how Chex lovers in South Korea lobbied for years to get a green onion flavored version of the product.  New research: Flashing lights and music turn rats into problem gamblers (University of British Columbia) South Korea Gets Long Awaited Green Onion Chex (NPR) You can bet on a sure thing by backing our show on Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support