Moonshots, Cold Cases & Soap Operas
From a high-stakes lunar mission to new developments in a 50-year-old case — plus headlines shaping health, education, and culture — here’s your quick weekend catch-up.
In 1966, Gemini 8 astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott survived a near-fatal emergency when their spacecraft spun out of control while orbiting Earth.
Because the crew made an emergency splashdown, few were present to capture their arrival in Okinawa, Japan. Newly released photos — taken by a military police officer — offer a rare glimpse of the two astronauts “relaxed, smiling, and waving” after their safe return. The astronauts had successfully performed the first docking in space before this "life-threatening malfunction."
Fast-forward 60 years: Earlier this week, the Artemis II crew became the first humans to fly aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. On Monday, they plan to “slingshot” around the Moon, potentially venturing farther into space than any humans have traveled before. Learn more about what lies ahead during their 10-day mission here. Meanwhile, here's a view of Earth from the Orion capsule window. 👇🏽
🗣️ Your Conversation Starters:
👩🏽⚖️ Dismissed: A federal judge dismissed most of Blake Lively’s claims against Justin Baldoni on Thursday, including allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and conspiracy. The ruling does not dismiss the case entirely, but narrows the focus. Remaining claims — including breach of contract and retaliation — head to trial May 18.
❌ Out: Pam Bondi will transition out of her role as U.S. attorney general, according to President Trump. According to Politico, the news comes “at a point of maximum turmoil for the Justice Department.” Will she still testify at an upcoming House Oversight Committee hearing related to the Epstein files? TBD.
🧬 Solved: New DNA testing links serial killer Ted Bundy to the death of a teenage girl in 1974. The Associated Press breaks down what to know about the infamous killer and his “rampage of violence.”
🌮 Vitamin Mandate: California now requires folic acid in corn masa flour used to make tortillas and tamales. The B vitamin helps prevent serious birth defects affecting the brain and spine. Supporters say the change could improve maternal health, while critics say mandates on food additives limit consumer choice and raise broader nutrition policy concerns.
🏨 Cafeteria Crackdown: Speaking of nutrition, earlier this week Health Secretary Kennedy announced an effort to improve food standards for hospital patients. “When hospitals align what’s on the tray with what’s in the chart, we give patients a better chance to faster recovery, avoided complications, and healthier long-term outcomes,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.
🏡 240 Acres: The amount of farmland in Snohomish County, Washington, that one group hopes to preserve through a “co-housing community” funded by pooling their money together.
🗣️️ “Oral defense”: One Cornell instructor has turned to a testing approach “as old as Socrates” to confirm students are learning the material rather than relying on AI. Earlier this week, we reported on another Cornell teacher incorporating typewriters into the classroom. But as some educators revisit traditional methods in the age of technology, the first lady recently introduced a “humanoid educator” named Plato. What do you think?
📚 “Crime and Punishment”: Just one of the books featured in Brazil’s inmate reading program, which allows participants to reduce their prison sentences by up to 48 days per year for participation. One inmate described reading as “a kind of escape, to get out of this environment for a bit, to think about other things: other stories, other people, not just me.”
🦅 “Soap Opera”: How The Washington Post describes the love life of Mr. President, who is expecting an eaglet with his latest mate, Lotus, in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, across the country, bald eagles Jackie and Shadow are officially on “pip watch.”
⛄ “Snow Farming”: Ski resorts in the West try a new approach — storing artificial snow — to prepare for next season after a dry winter.
🎙️ This Week From Jenna:
Two months after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, key questions remain unanswered.
Jenna interviews law enforcement and crime expert Morgan Wright to examine the biggest unknowns in the case, what investigators may be focusing on now, and why certain details continue to raise questions.
WATCH ABOVE OR BY CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on podcasting platforms everywhere (Apple, Spotify).
🎙️ SCOOP (approx. 53 minutes) Sharks on Drugs? The Week That Could Change Everything: The SCOOP. Watch or Listen. (SCOOP Insiders can attend this live broadcast once a week and get their news questions answered; they also receive the special video report EXCLUSIVELY delivered to their inbox along with a "cheat sheet" for the week ahead — learn more HERE).
🎙️ Interview (approx. 22 minutes): Why Artemis II Matters: Risks And The New Space Race. Watch or Listen.
🙌🏽 What We Found SmartHER This Week:
While research remains limited, these experts say cardiovascular exercise may support healthy hair as we age by helping reduce stress and improve circulation.
One of my other go-to supports? Nutrafol - a vitamin supplement I find easy to take (when I forget others) that has improved my hair, skin and nails.
Right now, Nutrafol is offering 25% off sitewide for their anniversary sale, making it a great time to try it for the first time or stock up. Not sure where to start? Take their quiz for a personalized plan.
“I love these two ladies, and I’m boarding that rocket a very proud father.”
Astronaut Reid Wiseman on X after posting a selfie with his two daughters ahead of leading Artemis II on a mission around the Moon. The retired Navy captain spent more than five months aboard the International Space Station in 2014 before losing his wife to cancer in 2020.
When asked about the mission, his daughters were initially hesitant but later surprised him with a show of support by baking him homemade, Moon-themed cupcakes.
And that's The Weekend Digest!
❤️,
Jenna and the SHN Team
Daily news, interviews, our latest podcasts and more at www.SmartHERNews.com.
