Interesting Things with JC #352: "San Pedro—The Sacred Cactus" grows prolifically in the Andes and is prized for its massive and short-lived blooms. The cactus' flowers only open at night for a few days, sometimes just one, before decaying. After fertilization, their fragrance attracts nighttime pollinators like bats. It's known for its hallucinogenic and healing properties.

Interesting Things with JC #348: "Felix Nadar and the First Aerial Photograph" - In 1858, Felix Nadar, a French balloonist and photographer, took the first known photograph from the sky!

Interesting Things with JC #345: "Regrow from Scraps" - Many common vegetables that you grow can re-grow from scraps, which may surprise you. This can be a great money saver, both for starting a new vegetable plot and for continuing your existing food growing efforts.

Interesting Things with JC #342: "Phantom Towns" are places that exist solely on paper maps but have no physical presence in the real world. All of them are either blunders or deliberate attempts to break the law.

Interesting Things with JC #341: "Blueberries" - Native Americans in North America gave blueberries the name "star fruits" due to the star shape formed by the blossom end of the berry. In a given year, a single blueberry bush can yield up to six thousand berries. The highbush blueberry crop in British Columbia is the world's largest.

Interesting Things with JC #338: "More Dangerous than Shark Attacks" - An inquisitive short story podcast topic that was submitted by one of our loyal but yet anonymous listeners! (5min podcast)

Interesting Things with JC #336: "Room 307, Gilman Hall, UC Berkley" - The first chemical identification of element 94, took place here. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966 on the 25th anniversary of the discovery of plutonium. All of Gilman Hall was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark in 1997, followed by its listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Interesting Things with JC #329: "Mt. Diablo” is one of the most prominent landforms in northern California, located in the San Francisco Bay Area to the east of Walnut Creek. In 1851, it was chosen as the starting point for the Mount Diablo Base Line and Meridian, which were used to measure land in two-thirds of California and all of Nevada. At the top of the mountain, there are amazing views in all directions.

Interesting Things with JC #328: "The Great Valley Museum" encourages action toward learning about, enjoying, and maintaining our natural history and environment. It also opens minds and touches hearts. Located on Blue Gum Ave, in Modesto California inside the Modesto Junior College…and their planetarium is amazing!

Interesting Things with JC #327: "The Sites Reservoir" The California Department of Water Resources intends to construct the $5.2-billion off-stream Sites Reservoir west of Colusa in the Sacramento Valley of northern California, presenting an untapped opportunity to store significant amounts of water generated by stormwater and flood flows. Further strengthening the backbone of this world renown agricultural region.

Interesting Things with JC #326: "Great Valley Farming & Drought" Almond growers are worried about how this may impact the quality of their product over the coming years because the Sacramento Valley has also been affected hard. The Valley is laid out such that water may move from one area to the next, like a series of stairs. As a result, water is utilized very effectively, with almost all of it going toward sustaining life, whether it be plant or animal production. Retaining water during rainy years to help during drought, creating more water storage, such as the proposed Sites Reservoir, could be critically helpful.

Interesting Things with JC #325: "The Great Valley of California" is a 20,000-square-mile structural depression that is one of the world's most notable. The Valley is approximately 50 miles wide and 400 miles long, stretching northwest from the Tehachapi Mountains to Redding. More than 250 different crops, worth an estimated $17 billion, are grown here annually.

Interesting Things with JC #322: "Fireworks" - The moment when fireworks were discovered is unclear though. One set of sources claims that they were discovered 2000 years ago, while another dates the discovery to the Song dynasty's ninth century (960-1279). Lets dig into how fireworks work, their history, and learn about the largest firework ever!

Interesting Things with JC #319: "The Tunguska Event" - June 30th 1908, a mysterious blast shook the eastern part of Siberia. The impact devastated an estimated 80 million trees in a radial pattern from the blast zone, generating energy equivalent to nearly 185 Hiroshima bombs.

Interesting Things with JC #313: "Laminar Flow & the Reynolds Number" - Laminar flow, also known as streamline flow, is layered and smooth. The blood coursing through our veins would be one illustration of this. The Reynolds Number can be defined in a variety of circumstances where a fluid is moving.

Interesting Things with JC #311: "Self Closing Drawer Slides" include a stationary housing, a slider, and a latch. While the housing is coupled to a cabinet or drawer, dampers are used to slow the movement of the drawer, while engaging a latch towards closure.

Interesting Things with JC #306: "Heat Index" is a wild combination of air temperature in the shade, relative humidity, your body mass and your clothes. It's how the world appears to feel. Saudi Arabia has the world record for the highest heat index ever recorded! Let's find out more!!

Interesting Things with JC #305: "Avrocar" was developed as part of a secret U.S. military project carried out in the early years of the Cold War, for vertical take off and landing, travel at mach 4, and it looks like a flying saucer.

Interesting Things with JC #304 "Sunglasses" - Take an interesting trip with me through the centuries and uncover the origin story of these pop culture main stays.

Interesting Things with JC #303: "Blue Lingcod" are a rare type of bottom dwelling species of fish that can have an alluring blue tint, inside and out.