July 6th: A Day for Bold Moves and Bizarre Ideas

Welcome to July 6th! Throughout history, this date has proven that if you’re going to do something, you might as well do it in a way that makes future generations scratch their heads in wonder. From radioactive gardening to "scandalous" swimsuits, here is the bizarre reality of today in history.

1. The Day We Tried "Nuclear Gardening" (1962)

On July 6, 1962, the U.S. government asked a question that only the Cold War could produce: "Can we use hydrogen bombs to dig canals?"

This was Project Sedan, a part of Operation Plowshare (a program dedicated to finding "peaceful" uses for nuclear explosives). Scientists detonated a 104-kiloton thermonuclear device 635 feet under the Nevada desert to see if it could replace traditional excavators.

• The Result: It moved 12 million tons of earth in a split second, creating a crater 1,280 feet wide and 320 feet deep.
• The Sight: The crater is so massive it’s still visible from low Earth orbit today!
• The Catch: While it was great for digging, the massive radioactive cloud it sent across the U.S. suggested that "atomic landscaping" might not be the most neighborly way to renovate.

2. The Great "Scandalous" Swimsuit Arrest (1907)

In July 1907 (often cited as July 6th), Australian swimming star Annette Kellerman was hauled off to jail on a Boston beach for the high crime of... showing her legs.

At a time when women were expected to swim in heavy wool dresses and bloomers, Annette showed up in a self-designed one-piece that ended in shorts above her knees. The police were promptly called, and she was arrested for indecency.

• The judge eventually ruled that she could wear the suit, but only if she wore a full-length cape until she actually touched the water. Because, as everyone knows, legs are only indecent when they aren't wet!

3. The Ultimate Musical "Meet-Cute" (1957)

On July 6, 1957, history was made at a church festival in Liverpool when a 16-year-old John Lennon met a 15-year-old Paul McCartney.

• John was performing with his band, the Quarrymen, and was reportedly a bit tipsy.
• Paul impressed him by showing him how to actually tune a guitar and playing "Twenty Flight Rock."
• The rest is Beatle-mania history. If Paul hadn't shown up that day, we might all be listening to "The Quarrymen's Greatest Hits" on repeat.

Other Honorable Mentions:

• 1885: Louis Pasteur successfully tested his rabies vaccine on a human for the first time, saving 9-year-old Joseph Meister from a "mad dog" bite.
• 1483: Richard III was crowned King of England. He later became the world's longest-running "Hide and Seek" champion after his body was lost for over 500 years (it was eventually found under a parking lot in 2012).
• 1933: The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held in Chicago. Babe Ruth hit the first-ever All-Star home run, because of course he did.

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Daily Fun Fact: July 6th is also National Fried Chicken Day and International Kissing Day. We recommend doing both, but maybe wash your hands between them!