April 29, 2022 - National Zipper Day | National Arbor Day

Welcome to April 29, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate cool inventions and crazy trees. Zippers are something that we use almost daily but probably don’t give much thought. This essential but overlooked part of our lives was invented in 1851 by Elias Howe, the same man who invented the sewing machine. But the idea didn’t become popular until 1917 when Gideon Sundback reworked the design. At first, the zipper was used only for boots and purses, but then it caught on with the fashion industry and the rest is history. On National Zipper Day, celebrate by wearing something you haven’t worn in a while. But no buttons, please. Zip-up clothes only. While many plants and animals adapt to their environment, one of the strangest cases is the Monkey Puzzle Tree from Chile. It’s been around for over 200 million years, which speaks to its unique adaptation. Having grown up around active volcanoes, the Monkey Puzzle Tree developed fire-resistant bark. Its branches are very spiky and would cause monkeys to pause before climbing one, hence the name. Although individual trees can live up to 700 years, the species ended up on the endangered list due to logging and mining throughout the Andes Mountains. On National Arbor Day, take notice of the trees around you and all they have to offer. I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices