A grade school custodian in New Hampshire has been showing up to the late shift in a creepy clown costume. So, first of all, why, and also, what is it about clowns that many people find so creepy? Plus: a crow in Latvia helps a hedgehog find its way through traffic.

Concord School Custodian Investigated For Dressing As A Horror Clown (Concord Patch)

Why Do We Find Clowns So Creepy? (Psychology Today)

Crow Nudges Hedgehog Standing in Middle of the Road to Bring It to Safety (My Modern Met)

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Today in 1811, the birthday of Isaac Singer. He’s best known as the inventor of the modern sewing machine, but had it been up to him, Singer would have been known for stage acting. Plus: tomorrow in Los Angeles, the Carrera de los Muertos, a Day of the Dead-themed 5K race.

Isaac Singer (Biography)

Carrera de los Muertos

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When we say "music can bring us together," we usually mean it bridges divides and builds communities. But a new study finds that, biologically speaking, music really can bring people together. Plus: today in Washington, DC, it’s the induction ceremony for the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Classical music synchronises the audience's heartbeats and sweating (New Scientist) 

National Inventors Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 

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Today we’re looking at a robot that’s moving up in the world, because this robot, known as the Ascento Pro, can climb stairs. Plus: to keep a growing bear population from moving too close to rural communities, Japan is turning to a robot it calls Super Monster Wolf! 

Ascento Pro, A Self-Balancing Two-Wheeled Autonomous Robot That Can Easily Climb Stairs (Laughing Squid)

Robotic ‘Super Monster Wolves’ are guarding Japanese towns against bears (Popular Science)

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Today in 1962, the recording of the landmark James Brown album “Live at the Apollo,” one that came together after the recording team dealt with one pretty big obstacle. Plus: the social media account Midwest Modern is sharing photos of some fascinating and underappreciated designs in this part of the country. 

James Brown Live at the Apollo – a classic report from the vaults (The Guardian) 

One Guy Is Bringing The Best Of The Midwest's Modern Architecture To The Internet (Digg)

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Today in 1920, the birthday of Ted Fujita, a pioneer in meteorology who was so revered by colleagues he became known as “Mr. Tornado.” Plus: a group of Japanese companies is trying to encourage youngsters to drink their milk by printing manga around milk bottles.

Pioneering research by late UChicago scholar Ted Fujita saved thousands of lives (University of Chicago) 

seki milk bottles reveal readable manga comic strips every time you take a sip (designboom)

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Today in 1982, the World Series St. Louis Cardinals made baseball history with the first major league team-wide dogpile. We explain how players who are celebrating a big moment can sometimes inadvertently hurt each other. Plus: today in 1973, the opening of the Sydney Opera House, where a chicken in an opera once landed on top of a cellist.

UVA Baseball Players Attest: Dogpiles Come With Temporary Pain, But Forever Joy (University of Virginia) 

The art of the dogpile (ABC News)

Interesting facts about the Sydney Opera House (Sydney Opera House)

Crowdsounds courtesy Pixabay 

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It's a big and little development in medicine and technology all at once: a robotic system that can autonomously move a medical needle safely through living tissue. Plus: starting tomorrow in Grand Marais, Minnesota, it's the Moose Madness Family Festival.

Medical robot steers needle through living lung (University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill)

Moose Madness Family Festival

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Today in 1867, the United States formally purchased the land now known as Alaska. The day before had been a Friday, but because of the transfer, that day became a Friday too. Plus: today in 2019, a hard-hitting news story out of Biddeford, Maine about a student ID photo and a hot dog costume.

When the Day After Friday is Friday (Now I Know) 

Seward's Bargain: The Alaska Purchase from Russia (Archives.gov)

Maine school allows student to wear hot dog costume for his ID picture

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Today in 1978, Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand released their enormous hit duet "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." a duet that pretty much happened by accident. Plus: today in 1989, a massive earthquake strikes just before a World Series game in the Bay Area, and a baseball legend reportedly responds in an unusual way.

The Number Ones: Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond’s “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” (Stereogum) 

Book: Lawyer Cheated DiMaggio

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