40 years ago, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space On June 18, 1983, she made history aboard the space shuttle. America’s first woman in space had joined NASA after responding to a newspaper ad. “I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” she said. Read more on NPR

You don’t need a grill to grill, advises award-winning cookbook author James Whetlor, author of The DIY BBQ Cookbook, explains how to reject BBQ maximalism and build your own tandoori oven out of flowerpots, and grill on the holes of cinderblocks. Read more on NPR

History-making whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg has died at 92 Ellsberg’s release of what were called the “Pentagon Papers” hastened the end of the Vietnam war, prompted a landmark Supreme Court ruling and contributed to the downfall of President Richard Nixon. Read more on NPR

Are masks for the birds? We field reader queries about this new stage of the pandemic The official emergency is over but COVID is still here. And that means … lots of questions. We asked our readers what’s on their mind and then called on experts for advice. Read more on NPR