Long before Yuri Gagarin became the first human to go into space, Laika, a stray dog, crossed the final frontier. Find out what other surprising species were drafted into the astronaut corps.

They may be our best friends, but we still balk at giving other creatures moral standing. And why are humans so reluctant to accept the fact that we too are animals?

Guests:

Jo Wimpenny - Zoologist and writer. Author of “Aesop’s Animals”

Taylor Maggiacomo - Associate Graphic Editor at National Geographic

Alexander Stegmaier - Freelance Graphic Editor at National Geographic

Melanie Challenger - An author who writes on nature, environment and human history. Her latest book: “How to be Animal: A New History of What it Means to be Human”

Descripción en español

If you have a subscription to National Geographic, check out Taylor and Alex's feature providing a visual timeline of every animal that has gone into space.

Featuring music by Dewey Dellay and Jun Miyake

originally aired January 24, 2022

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