Author: Lisa Mungovan

Last week, a pony in England ended up in a most unlikely location. His entire body had somehow become firmly wedged, inside a large tractor tire. Animal rescue officers carefully extracted the tiny pony, bit by bit. After getting checked for injuries, the mischievous pony went back to grazing in the field.

Do you know how to recognize a rip current, at the beach? The fast-moving current, can pull you quickly out to sea. The water might look calmer, between the sections where waves are breaking, but that’s the most dangerous area. If you get caught in a rip, swim parallel to shore, to escape it.

Today is Whooping Crane Day. Named for their whooping calls, the white birds grow 5 feet tall, with a 7-foot wingspan. They have red crowns, and black wingtips. The tallest bird in North America almost went extinct, but breeding programs have helped the wild population grow to more than 500 individuals.

Today is Hamburger Day, a good time to try the Impossible Burger. It tastes like a hamburger, but it’s meat-free. It’s also World Hunger Day, so think about ways you could help others eat. Donating to food banks, planting apple trees to share fruit with your community, and buying locally grown food, could help.

Have you ever heard of Swallows Return To San Juan Capistrano Day? It happens in March, when the migratory birds come back to Argentina. Well, today is The Slugs Return From Capistrano Day! It’s a joke, because slugs don’t migrate, and they only travel 40 feet a night. See if any are in your garden!

Today is World Otter Day. These playful mammals spend their days in the water, swimming, hunting for fish, and making water slides. There are 13 different species of otter, with thick fur, and long bodies ranging between 2 and 6 feet in length. Sea otters have up to 1,000,000 hairs-per-square-inch!

Have you ever seen a piano, with keys that moved by themselves? Today is Old-Time Player Piano Day. Pianolas were operated by foot pedals, forcing air through a roll of paper filled with holes. It’s also Nothing To Fear Day, so take a deep breath and conquer your fears, especially if they’re self-playing pianos.

Today is Cellophane Tape Day. Invented in 1930, clear tape does more than seal packages. Artist Mark Jenkins, uses tape to make sculptures! You might be lucky enough to come across his figures in unusual situations, on the streets in your city. Learn how to use his tape-casting method at tape-sculpture.org, and make your own!

On a hot summery day, you need 2 things: an icy snack, and skin protection! It’s Grape Popsicle Day, and Sun Screen Day. 11 year-old Frank Epperson invented popsicles in 1905, when he left a stick in his grape soda and it froze. They were originally called Eppsicles. Apply your sunblock, then enjoy popsicles in the sun!

Have you ever sat in a room that was so quiet, you could hear yourself swallow? A room in Minnesota called the Anechoic Chamber, is so quiet, you can even hear yourself blink. The steel box is suspended on springs, and lined with fiberglass ridges, that neutralize all soundwaves.