July 22: Space Dogs, Pirate Manga, and Prince George

Some days quietly pass without incident. July 22 is not one of those days. It gave us pioneering space pups, the biggest manga ever printed, and a future king. Buckle up.

Good Boys in Orbit

In 1951, Soviet space dogs Dezik and Tsygan were launched into a sub-orbital spaceflight from Kapustin Yar, becoming the first dogs to fly in space and the first to safely return. That's right — before humans dared strap themselves to a rocket, two very brave doggos went up, came back, and presumably demanded an enormous treat and a nap. Frankly, they earned it. Most of us panic on a slightly bumpy flight to the coast; these two shrugged off zero gravity like it was a trip to the vet.

A Pirate Sets Sail

In 1997, written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump and would go on to become the best-selling manga series in history. What began as a simple tale of a rubbery kid chasing treasure has since colonized bookshelves, streaming queues, and the emotional lives of millions who insist "it gets good around episode 400." If you started reading it at launch, you'd have been in elementary school. It is still going. Respect the commitment.

Also worth a wheels-up salute: in 1894, Jules-Albert de Dion finished first in the world's first motor race but did not win, because his steam-powered car was against the rules. The original "technically the fastest, technically disqualified" heartbreak.

Happy Birthday, Your Royal Highness

On this day in 2013, Prince George of Wales was born, instantly becoming the most photographed toddler on Earth and a future King of England. He shares his birthday with a strong footballing squad: Spain's Marc Cucurella (1998), Uruguay's Federico Valverde (1998), and hockey's Jason Robertson (1999) all arrived on July 22 too. So if you were born today, you're in genuinely elite, slightly athletic company.

Sarawak Says: This One's Ours

And now the holiday. In 1963, the United Kingdom granted self-government to Sarawak, and July 22 is celebrated as Sarawak Independence Day, or Sarawak Day, in Sarawak, Malaysia. It's a proper, widely marked observance — parades, pride, the works. So whether you're waving a Sarawak flag, rereading One Piece, or simply looking up at the moon to thank a couple of very good space dogs, July 22 has something for you. History rarely packs this much personality into a single square of the calendar.