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Dark Side of the Earth
Dave Wolf, an astronaut, shared two stories about his experiences in space with Jad and Robert from Radiolab. In 1997, Wolf and Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyev went on a spacewalk to perform work on the Mir space station. During the spacewalk, they experienced extreme contrasts between light and darkness, traveling 5 miles per second and experiencing 16 nights and days for every Earth day. However, their spacewalk took a turn for the worse when the airlock malfunctioned, trapping them outside and forcing them to unhook their tethers and make a desperate attempt to re-enter the Mir. They eventually made it back safely, but the experience was harrowing. Wolf also shared a second story about a peaceful moment he and Solovyev shared, floating above Earth and staring into the universe. Radiolab is now partnering with the International Astronomical Union to launch a global naming contest for one of Earth's quasi-moons. Listeners can vote on their favorite names and sign up for the Radiolab newsletter for updates and more information. Radiolab is supported by listeners and various foundations, including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.