Interesting Things with JC #516: "Hippos Sweat Red" - they secrete a reddish fluid, mistakenly believed to be sweat or blood, that has antibiotic and sunscreen properties. Some biologists say it could be a great lip balm for people. Thank you to Haley at Applebees in Cheektowaga, New York, for suggesting the topic for today.

Interesting Things with JC #275: "The First Colour Photograph” - On May 17th 1861 Scottish physicist James Maxwell revealed the first colour photograph at King's College in London. The photo is actually a composite of three black and white pictures, each taken through a red, green and blue filter. The images were overlayed through projection of three similarly filtered lenses, which resulted in display of a colour photograph.

Lead glass, commonly called crystal, is a variety of glass in which lead replaces the calcium content of a typical glass. In past decades, it was a popular material used to create decorative vases and bowls as well as crystal glasses and decanters. Lead glass is also known as X-ray glass or radiation shielding glass as one of its major applications is in the absorbance of high energy radiation while maintaining optical transparency. Also, lead glass has a lower thermal conductivity than lead-free glass. Interestingly, even though stained glass windows are a type of leaded glass, industry experts often use them separately to create distinction between the two.

Each Mardi Gras Parade Krewe has a unique history and theme. Some have been around for decades, while others have been in existence for just a few years. The word Krewe is unique, it comes from French and means "tribe." What a Krewe does though is even more interesting!

It's the surface of an object that reflects some colors and absorbs all the others. We perceive only the reflected colors. Perceived color depends on how an object absorbs and reflects wavelengths. Human beings can only see a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, from about 400 nm to 700 nm, but it’s enough to allow us to see millions of colors!

Latex paint is borderline magical. You can wash it off without excess chemicals. It can be used as a single coat to cover up another color. It has an extended shelf life, and it's used everywhere. It's an overlooked modern marvel. This episode is inspired by John Gionis with Spartan Contracting of Rhode Island.