Strange But True Part 67

1. Laika was a stray dog launched into space by the Soviet Union in 1957. The mission was a one-way trip, as the technology for safe re-entry did not exist. She died from overheating six hours into the flight. Sad as this tale is, the stray husky-spitz mix became a part of history as the first living creature to orbit the Earth. Over the decades, Laika has repeatedly found new life in popular culture long after her death, in story books, movies and as a statue and plaque at Star City, the Russian Cosmonaut training facility. She even was the subject of a 2025 Eurovision Song Contest song, "Laika Party" sung by Irish contestant Emmy, with a very odd video indeed. Do you know about Laika?

2. Kleenex was originally developed as a disposable facial tissue in 1924 to remove cold cream and makeup, marketed to women as a hygienic alternative to cloth. However, consumers began using it as a disposable handkerchief for colds, and by 1930, the company changed its advertising to promote this new, popular use, which doubled its sales. Oddly enough, the base material, Cellucotton, was created during World War I for gas mask filters and surgical dressings. After the war, Kimberly-Clark found a new purpose for the material by making it into a softer, thinner tissue. Did you know that Kleenex material was first used for gas mask filters and surgical dressings?