Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. From the streets of Moscow to the stars: Laika, the soviet ...

In the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Moscow is a statue of a small mutt, Laika. A lynchpin in the history of space travel and exploration, she may be equal parts hero and victim. When she ...

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 ...

Black-and-white photographs shared by some social media users are said to show Laika, a 13-pound stray from Moscow who became the first dog in space after being launched into low orbit aboard Sputnik ...

Sun, sleet, or snow, Westminster Hills Open Space has become a year-round place where dogs and their owners can let loose. "(I) just love it out here," said Tami Kramer. "I can be having the worst day ...