space travel

RetroPop: Why Edna St. Vincent Millay Would Love “Starships” by Nicki Minaj

Music post by Brianna Goldberg on August 9, 2012 - 10:49am; tagged Edna St. Vincent Millay, Nicki Minaj, space travel.

Nicki Minaj with orange hair and a small black and white of Edna St. Vincent Millay

Welcome again to RetroPop, the Top 40-centric series where I invite you to help me compare the messages of lady-performed Billboard hits with themes from the work of great female artists of the past.

Today we’re going straight to the lyrics of the latest hit Nicki Minaj single, “Starships” to find out what it has in common with a (relatively) well-known and respected poem by all-around funky lady Edna St. Vincent Millay. Holla!

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Adventures in Feministory: Valentina Tereshkova, Outer Space's First Lady

History post by Kelsey Wallace on June 13, 2011 - 12:11pm; tagged Adventures in Feministory, first woman in space, space travel, Valentina Tereshkova.

Space may be the final frontier for many of us, but it's familiar territory for Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova. In June of 1963, Tereshkova was chosen—out of more than 400 applicants—to be the first woman to fly in space.

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BiblioBitch: Packing for Mars

Books post by Kelsey Wallace on August 25, 2010 - 12:17pm; tagged BiblioBitch, book trailers, books, Mary Roach, Packing for Mars, space travel.

Last week, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a lecture given by Mary Roach. Many of you have probably read her books Bonk and Stiff, and thus you know she is a thorough researcher whose tastes run a bit on the weird side. As she put it, she likes to cover topics that combine "history, science, and some gross stuff." The lecture I attended was on her latest book, Packing for Mars, and the subject matter definitely fits the bill. Pooping in space, anyone?