Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast original, “Spandex Jackets (One for Everyone).” Listeners who are fans of Steely Dan may be aware that the title is a reference to Donald Fagen’s 1982 track “I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)”. The story itself draws inspiration from the song which paints a retro-futuristic dream of undersea rails, solar-powered cities and the promise of a gloriously bright tomorrow.

The acronym in the song title I.G.Y. references the “International Geophysical Year” a real life global scientific project that ran from July 1, 1957 to December 31st 1958. It brought together scientists from 67 nations to collaborate on studying Earth’s geophysical properties, including its atmosphere, oceans, and polar regions. IGY marked significant advancements in space research, such as the launch of the first artificial satellites (Sputnik by the Soviet Union and Explorer by the United States). Its spirit of international cooperation laid the groundwork for many subsequent collaborative scientific endeavors.

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