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Saturday • July 30, 2022

Do you know what you’re watching this weekend? With an overwhelming amount of content to choose from, many TV shows never make it past their first season. But the series that manage to stand the test of time and the ever-changing tastes of audiences have something extra special about them. In recognition of some truly historic content, Mental Floss has just released a list of the 45 longest-running programs of all time. It includes titles like Saturday Night Live and General Hospital, which are still airing new episodes after 46 and 59 years, respectively. See if your favorite shows made the list here.

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Today’s News

Hulton Archive / Archive Photos via Getty Images

Culture

Museum Celebrating Jackie Robinson’s Life and Legacy Opens in New York

After more than 14 years of planning, a museum commemorating baseball legend Jackie Robinson has opened in New York City. A large crowd of athletes, sports fans, and politicians came out for the grand opening earlier this week, but the most notable among them was the star player’s 100-year-old widow, Rachel. She participated in the festivities along with the couple’s children, David and Sharon, to honor Robinson, who was the first Black man to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era.

The museum contains 40,000 historical images, over 4,500 artifacts saved by Robinson’s friends and family, and more than 450 hours of video footage highlighting his baseball career and dedication to civil rights. Jackie Robinson Foundation President Della Britton said Rachel “wanted a fixed tribute to her husband, where people could come and learn about him, but also be inspired.” David, now 70, believes his father would have been proud. He said: “I think today Jackie Robinson would say I accept this honor, but I accept this honor on behalf of something far beyond my individual self, far beyond my family, far beyond even my race.”

See the Opening Ceremony

Acts of Kindness

Nonprofit “I Want To Mow Your Lawn” Does Yard Work for Those Who Can’t

A maintained lawn is not only visually appealing, but it also has many environmental benefits, such as reducing high temperatures, improving flood control, and preventing erosion. For those who are unable to do the often laborious task themselves, the nonprofit I Want To Mow Your Lawn is here to help. The national organization connects background-screened landscaping volunteers with seniors, military veterans, and people with disabilities to provide free lawn care. “Whether it’s one time a year or one time a week, it makes a difference,” founder Brian Schwartz told WDTN.

Schwartz started I Want To Mow Your Lawn, which is fully funded by donations, shortly after losing his job when the pandemic started. “It was just a stressful time and I just went out to mow my own lawn and then decided to help neighbors just to keep myself busy while helping others,” he recalled. Since its establishment in 2020, the grassroots movement has adopted “green” alternative lawn care practices and offers eco-friendly equipment upgrades to volunteers. With over 230 volunteers spanning 39 states, Schwartz has plans to further expand the organization’s footprint and continue mowing lawns for those in need.

Check Out the Nonprofit

Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8

Science

How a Tiny Island Changed Canada and Cartography Forever

Located off the northeastern coast of Labrador, Canada, Landsat Island is so tiny that it can’t even be seen on Google Maps. Measuring 82 feet wide by 148 feet long — about half the size of a football field — the atoll is home only to polar bears. Despite its small size, though, the rocky piece of land made history when it was initially discovered by cartographer and pilot Elizabeth Fleming as part of a Canadian coastal survey in 1973.

Fleming spotted the minuscule island while reviewing data collected by NASA’s first Earth-observing satellite, which eventually became known as Landsat 1 and gave the isle its name. When the satellite picked up the island’s spectral signature from more than 500 miles above, Canada gained 26.25 square miles of land. An in-person expedition confirmed the island’s existence and location in 1976, verifying the data and Fleming’s discovery. Terry Sohl, a researcher with the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, told National Geographic: “It just totally changed the field of cartography.”

Photos of the Island

Congressional leaders unveiled a new statue of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart in the U.S. Capitol to celebrate her barrier-breaking life and career.

Two best friends, who have reunited at the same photo booth every five years to recreate the shot they snapped as kids, just took their 50th anniversary picture.

The U.S. Postal Service will be releasing new “forever” stamps featuring the James Webb Space Telescope in September. See the design and find out how to pre-order here.

Meet the 8-year-old boy who is cycling 1,100 miles to raise money for his favorite animals, hedgehogs.

Tomorrow is National Avocado Day and Chipotle is celebrating by selling guacamole for just 1 cent.

Post of the Day

@KenJennings

When Alex Trebek died in November 2020, he left big shoes to fill for the next host of Jeopardy!. After more than a year of relying on guest hosts, the popular syndicated game show has officially named two entertainers to permanently take the helm: Big Bang Theory alum Mayim Bialik (pictured above) and former Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings. “We have so much Jeopardy! to make, and so many plans for the future,” executive producer Michael Davies wrote in a note to fans. He added: “We are just so grateful that Mayim and Ken stepped in and stepped up to put the show in a position to succeed.” (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Jeopardy Productions, Inc.)

Quote of the Day

“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnified world in itself.”

– Henry Miller