May 5, 2026 — Today is National Astronaut Day, which is a reminder of how recent space travel actually is.

Today we’re looking at a few moments where small or precise outcomes had much larger effects.

First, Alan Shepard’s 15-minute flight in 1961, which helped shift space travel from possibility to reality.

Then, Cy Young’s perfect game in 1904, showing just how difficult it is to get everything right.

And finally, the opening of Carnegie Hall in 1891, which became a symbol of what it takes to reach a certain level.

Plus, a look at Karl Marx, whose ideas extended far beyond the time they were written.

It raises a question about how often something small becomes the starting point for something much larger.

Anyway… that’s what I ended up finding while working through May 5.