Photo by Gert Boers.

On This Day

1189: Richard the Lionheart ascended to the throne of England after the death of Henry II. He reigned until his death 6 April 1199. Having no legitimate issue, Richard was succeeded by his younger brother John. Richard was credited with creating the English crest of a lion statant, which is one of the most recognisable national symbols of England and continues to represent England on several coins of the pound sterling.

1785: Here in America we adopted decimal coinage, and Congress authorised the issuance of the “dollar.” During this era, the term “dollar” was widely understood as it was in use by the Spaniards. The Spanish dollar is the official term for a “piece of eight.” First minted in 1497, the Spanish dollar remained legal tender in the United States until the Coinage Act of 1857.

1885: The first anti-rabies vaccine was successfully given to a 9-year-old boy named Joseph Meister who had been ferociously attacked by rabid dogs. Created by Louis Pasteur (who also brought us pasteurisation), the rabies vaccine saved little Joseph’s life.

Morning Jam

Felix da Housecat did an amazing version of Nina Simone’s classic “Sinnerman” and for the last couple days I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. You can subscribe to Felix on YouTube here.

Quick Bites

A breakthrough in knee replacement technology

Scientists have struggled to find an adequate replacement for knee cartilage as it is a complicated substance that both protects and acts as a soft cushion. But now it appears there is a breakthrough. Researchers think they have developed a material that matches our natural cartilage. This has the potential to change knee replacement procedures and the lives of the hundreds of thousands of Americans who go through a knee replacement surgery every year. Read more about this amazing breakthrough here.

Stand taller, even if you’re a shorty like me

Did you know yoga can help you stand taller? True story. By stretching our intercostals — or side muscles — we can breathe better and stand taller. This yoga sequence by Dana Slamp is perfect for standing tall and breathing deeper.

In Case You Missed It

Kanye West has decided to run for president, and while he announced it on Independence Day on Twitter, he failed to tell the Federal Elections Commission.

ye @kanyewest

We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States 🇺🇸! #2020VISION

July 5th 2020

292,048 Retweets1,096,324 Likes

Kanye has already received tacit endorsements from his wife Kim Kardashian West, and Elon Musk.

It may not be too late for him to pull this off, but the deadline to get on the ballot in several states has passed, including Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico, New York, and Texas. I for one will be curious how this plays out. You can read more about this here.

Head Scratcher

Why is it that biking requires a lot less effort than walking, yet when the slope gets steeper, it's easier to get off the bike and push it? Get the answer here.