At 9:32 a.m. EST this morning, in the year 1969, the Apollo 11 rocket launched three astronauts into space with a plan to land them on the moon (spoiler: we made it). Eight years prior, President John F. Kennedy had announced at a joint session of congress his ambition to achieve that goal by the end of the decade. It was a crazy thing to say given our technological reach-the processing power on the space shuttle was less than the most basic cell phone-and our experience in space-which is to say, we had none; at the time of his speech, we hadn’t launched a single person into space, let alone landed them on a foreign body and brought them safely back to earth. But the Cold War imperative and our race with the Russians compelled Kennedy and America to extend themselves to places they had never been, and achieve something dramatic and important for science, national pride, and history.We would do well to remember these lessons today. Our problems are as compelling as those that we faced during the 1960s. Someone should stand up and promise us something that seems impossible. And then deliver it.You can catch a video of the full countdown and launch here. There’s a gorgeous an comprehensive re-creation of the entire mission history and time line here. The Big Picture tackled the subject yesterday. And finally, NASA has restored a bunch of footage from the first trip to the moon. Watch as Neal Armstrong takes his first step, and try no to let your heart explode with pride. Then watch this West Wing clip on a similar theme, and try not to cry.Photo courtesy of NASA.
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Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
The online community came through in a big way.
Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.
“A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”
His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.
Otis knew before they did. Canva Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.
So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”
The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.
Any chance your wife is pregnant?
ZZBC | Reddit
The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!
“The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”
Redditors responded with similar experiences.
Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.
realityisworse | Reddit
So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?
Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”
The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.
This article originally appeared last year.
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14 images of badass women who destroyed stereotypes and inspired future generations
These trailblazers redefined what a woman could be.
Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.
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Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories
Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.
While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.
When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.
Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.
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Researchers capture sperm whales headbutting on camera, validating what sailors have said for centuries
Tech company helps dementia patients live independently with memory-prompting smart glasses
Want to reconnect with someone but aren’t sure what to say? Try this simple, no-risk way to reach out.
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