Danionella cerebrum is a completely transparent fish that's only 10-12 millimeters long. And researchers have just figured out how it can produce sounds that reach 140 dB or higher. Plus: a resident of Salem, Ohio has one of the largest ever collections of PEZ dispensers, around 4,000 in all. 

A 12 mm fish produces 140-decibel sound to communicate in turbid waters (Phys.org)

Salem PEZ collector shows off massive collection (WKBN)
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Today in 1832, the birthday of Charles Boycott, whose name has been used for over a century anytime people decide to deliberately take their business away from a group or a company. Plus: this month in Worcester, Massachusetts, you can cover the fees for lost or missing books and DVDs by sending the library a cat picture.

Charles Boycott: The Man Who Became a Verb (Amusing Planet)

Act meow: Cat pics will pay your fines at Worcester's libraries (WBUR)

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This month in 2003, New York City launched its 311 service, a service that has helped residents with a wide range of non-emergency issues… and a few absolute head-scratchers. Plus: a video on Reddit appears to show someone operating a supermarket checkout in Osaka, Japan while in a full-size, realistic looking cat costume.

State of NYC311 20th Anniversary Report (NYC.gov)

Part-time cat at Namba-Marui, Osaka - Japan (Interesting as F___ on Reddit)

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There's a phenomenon in hospitals called "alarm fatigue" - there's so much loud beeping from machines that it can actually cause problems for patient care. An anesthesiologist and a music cognition researcher have teamed up to find alternatives to the jarring beeps. Plus: starting Sunday in south central Alaska, it’s the 2024 Arctic Winter Games. 

Making Alarms More Musical Can Save Lives (Scientific American)

2024 ARCTIC WINTER GAMES 

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For National Cereal Day, the stories of people who have taken cereal makers to court over some pretty eye-opening claims. Plus: did you known Cap'n Crunch once had a nemesis?

THE PEOPLE V. CAP’N CRUNCH: INSIDE THE CRUNCH BERRY LAWSUITS (MEL)

Cap'n Crunch vs. The Sogmaster (1987) (YouTube)

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Could the secret weapon against electronic waste may be cheese? Research finds a process involving the byproduct of cheesemaking known as whey protein could help recover gold and other precious metals from old computer motherboards. Plus: starting tomorrow in Nashville, Indiana, it's the Indiana Button Society Show & Competition. 

Turning waste into gold (ETH Zurich)

Indiana State Button Society Annual Button Show 

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Today in 1854, the birthday of a very important person in the history of how we keep track of time: Ruth Belville, who has been called the “Greenwich Time Lady.” Plus: this weekend in Las Vegas, the National Grocers Association is holding the Best Bagger National Championship.

History: The lady who sold time (New Scientist)

2024 Best Bagger National Championship

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Today in 1982, the premiere of the short-lived but critically acclaimed cop spoof Police Squad, a show TV executives said was essentially too funny to stay on the air. Plus: a video from 1939 features four brothers from Chicago showing off some very unusual bicycles they'd created. 

‘The Naked Gun’ Spun Off From an Even Wackier TV Show (Collider)

4 Chicago Brothers Showed Off Their Strangest Bike Creations In 1939 (Chicagoist)

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It's National Pig Day, so it's a perfect time to tell one of the most famous stories of pig-based resistance in history: the story of Denmark’s Protestschwein, or protest pigs. Plus: starting today in Houston, Minnesota, it's the International Festival of Owls.

The Ultimate Mudslinger: The Story Behind Denmark’s Protest Pigs (Mental Floss)

International Festival of Owls

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There's a newspaper in France that’s only published every four years: the leap day paper known as La Bougie du sapeur. Plus: apparently February 29 is a popular day to get married, so clerks are preparing for some extra weddings.

The Newspaper That is Published Only on 29th February (Amusing Planet)

San Diego County accepting walk-ins for couples wanting to get married on Leap Day (FOX 5 San Diego)

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