Wednesday's New York Times crossword puzzle solved: August 8, 2018

My time: 5:17, a new Wednesday best!

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Andrew Kingsley had a brilliant idea with this puzzle (though I'm sure that some other crossword creator also thought of it at the same time).  Proving the adage GREAT / MINDS / THINK / ALIKE, he showcases five inventions that were the product of two independent thinkers at about the same time.

For example, CALCULUS was invented by both "Gottfried Wilhelm Liebniz and Isaac Newton."  Many Americans go through their entire school careers ignorant that the TELEPHONE was a brainchild of both "Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray," and likewise give no credit to Joseph Swan for the LIGHT BULB.   While I have heard of Mendeleev, I did not know that the PERIODIC TABLE was also conceived of by Julius Lothar Meyer.  Both of them worked under Robert Bunsen.

Unknown to me are "Leo Szillard and Joseph Rotblat," both of whom came up with the ATOM BOMB.  Szilard, a Hungarian, encouraged Einstein to warn President Roosevelt about the possibility of a German atomic bomb, and later worked with Fermi on the Manhattan Project.  Rotblat was a Pole who also worked on the Manhattan Project, and dedicated the rest of his life to a nuclear-free world.

Very nice theme! Good thing Kingsley was the first to publish.

I don't think SLIM means "not very likely."  Only if someone asks, "What are the chances of this happening?"  And then they could answer SLIM, which in this context means "[it's] not very likely," but really it just means low.  It only means not likely in the context of chances.

I know the ORIOLES, but didn't know they played in Camden Yards.

Also in sports, "longtime Boston Celtics executive" Danny AINGE is a total unknown to me.  His name looks like a misprint.

The Sierra is a pickup truck made by GMC.

Is CHER the Goddess of Pop?  I guess so.  Among other nicknames...

"Radamès's love" AIDA appeared on December 20, 2017.

Appliance brand mainstay AMANA last appeared on June 10.

Venetian marketplace RIALTO appeared on December 27, 2018.

Clever clues: "Heat setting" is MIAMI.  "It's found behind a temple" is EAR.  "Band aid?" is AMP.

This was a quick and easy puzzle!  A very intelligent and instructive theme, but with good basic fill.  Perfect for a Wednesday.  It caused me no STRESS.  I tore through it like a WHIP through TISSUE.