Today in 1975, a famous concert by the Grateful Dead at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall. And if you look closely at the credits, you’ll see a peculiar listing that reads “Mickey Hart - percussion and crickets.” Plus: this week in Maine, it’s the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival. 

So many roads : the life and times of the Grateful Dead by David Browne (via Google Books) 

Machias Wild Blueberry Festival 

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Researchers want to head off the small but serious risk of fire that comes with lithium ion batteries. A team at Clemson University may have found a way to teach the batteries how to put themselves out if they start burning. Plus: we have a new world record for “fastest time to slice a bell pepper.”

Self-extinguishing batteries could reduce the risk of deadly and costly battery fires (Clemson University)

Fastest time to slice a bell pepper - 9.43 seconds by Wallace Wong (Guinness World Records via YouTube)

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It's National Billiards and Pool Day, so we have the story of George H. Sutton, who became an accomplished billiards player after losing his hands. Plus: today in Scotland, day two of the 10-day Edinburgh Deaf Festival.

HANDLESS' SUTTON, BILLIARD PLAYER, 68; Despite Handicap, Had Opposed Many Leading Professionals (New York Times)

Edinburgh Deaf Festival

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During the 1936 Summer Games, Liechtenstein showed up flying its blue and red striped flag, only to find that Haiti was flying its flag, which had the same stripes and the same colors. Fortunately they found a solution. Plus: starting today in Indiana, it’s the Oakland City Sweet Corn Festival.

flag of Liechtenstein (Britannica)

flag of Haiti (Britannica) 

Oakland City Sweet Corn Festival 

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Today in 1987, American swimmer Lynne Cox took to the freezing waters of the Bering Strait in a call for peace between the world’s superpowers. Plus: today in 2019, actor Danny Trejo, known for playing bad guys, had a real-life good guy moment.

How an American swimmer helped thaw Cold War relations (Boston.com)

Lynne Cox swims into communist territory (History.com)

'Machete' to the rescue: Actor Danny Trejo helps save child trapped in overturned car in Sylmar (ABC 7)

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Today in 1926, American Gertrude Ederle swam from France to England, a record-setting crossing of the English Channel she made in stormy weather! Plus: if you're celebrating International Clown Week, you might want to drop by Plainview, Nebraska, home to the Klown Doll Museum.

The First Woman to Brave the English Channel (Outside)

The Klown Doll Museum Is One of the Strangest Places You Can Go in Nebraska (Only In Nebraska)

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Scientists have found that Exoplanet HD 189733b looks blue with white wispy clouds, but the similarities between that far-off world and this one stop right about there. Plus: starting this Friday in East Nashville, Tennessee, it’s the Tomato Art Fest.

This Blue Alien Planet Is Not at All Earth-Like (Space.com)

Rains of Terror on Exoplanet HD 189733b (NASA)

Tomato Art Fest 

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We’re replaying some of our favorite episodes about the Games and those who have competed in them. In this episode from July 2021, the story of the original Olympic flag. It flew over the Games for in 1920 and then disappeared, and we didn’t find out what had happened to it for seven decades. Plus: a 3D printed robotic hand plays Super Mario Bros.

OLYMPICS: NOTEBOOK; Missing Flag Returns to Glory, Courtesy of a Prankster (New York Times)

Scientists 3D Print Robotic Hand That Can Play Nintendo (Interesting Engineering)

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We’re replaying some of our favorite episodes about the Games and those who have competed in them. In this episode from July 2021, the story of two of those athletes, who ended up winning the only half-silver, half-bronze medals in Olympic history. Plus: the International Olympic Committee does enforce its trademark rights, which sometimes leads to interesting situations.

The Silvonze Medalists (Now I Know)

International Olympic Committee threaten to sue Brit folk legends for ‘Beer Olympics’ song (The Sun)

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We’re replaying some of our favorite episodes about the Games and those who have competed in them. In this episode from October 2022, the story of Margaret Abbott. She became the first American woman to win an Olympic title, even though she didn’t know she was in the Olympics! Plus: Ruth Hamilton of British Columbia gets an unexpected visitor at home.

Margaret Abbott (New York Times)

B.C. woman awakes to a hole in her roof and a space rock on her pillow (Castlegar News)

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