The story of Laika, the first dog in space, has been shrouded in legend, misinformation, and propaganda since she first reached Earth’s orbit in 1957. This article digs into what really happened to ...

On November 3, 1957, a Soviet space dog named Laika became the first animal to orbit Earth. Laika was a 3-year-old stray husky-spitz mix from the streets of Moscow, and she was recruited by the Soviet ...

In the late 1950s, Moscow’s streets were full of stray dogs that adapted to freezing nights and scarce food. One small mixed‑breed stood out to Soviet researchers for her calm nature and size. She was ...