Morning dudes. On this day in 1989, Wayne Gretzky broke Gordie Howe’s record with 1,850 career points. We break down why he might be the best statistical athlete of all time in today’s edition. Let’s get into it.

Science Stuff

The Soviet Sun Mirror

Back in the early 1990s, the Soviet Union had a wild idea: why bother with streetlights when you can just reflect the sun? Enter the "Znamya" project, the Soviet Sun Mirror. The plan was as ambitious as it was strange. The idea was simple—launch a space mirror into orbit and reflect sunlight down to Earth, lighting up entire cities during the dark winter months. It’s like nature’s floodlight, only it's 93 million miles away.

How It Was Supposed to Work

The Znamya project, Russian for “banner,” was built on a concept straight out of a sci-fi novel. Engineers proposed a giant, space-based mirror that could beam sunlight to Earth when it was nighttime in the Northern Hemisphere. The reflective surface, made of a polymer film, would unfold in space like a giant umbrella. Measuring 65 feet in diameter, this mirror would bounce sunlight back to Earth, creating a glowing area up to 5 km wide. In theory, it would offer lighting hundreds of times more powerful than the full moon. Think of it as a cosmic flashlight for cities and crops struggling through the dark months.

Znamya 2.5: The Test Flight

In 1993, the Soviets launched Znamya 2.5, an actual prototype of the space mirror. The mirror was attached to the Progress cargo spacecraft and was successfully deployed. For a brief moment, it cast a bright spot over Europe—so bright, in fact, that some reports claim it could be seen from the ground as a moving star. However, the experiment wasn’t all sunshine. A technical malfunction caused the mirror to tear, ending the test early and putting a halt on any further developments.

Why It Didn’t Work Out

The idea sounds cool, but there were some major flaws. The most obvious issue? Moving clouds. Even the best mirror can’t shine through those. Also, controlling such a huge reflective surface in space proved to be tricky. And let’s not forget the economic struggles of post-Soviet Russia, which left grandiose projects like this on the chopping block. The dream of lighting up Siberia with a space mirror fizzled out.

The Legacy of the Sun Mirror

While the Znamya project was short-lived, it showed the Soviets weren’t afraid to dream big. Sure, it was an outlandish idea, but it also paved the way for modern solar energy experiments in space. Today, we’ve got people talking about space-based solar power stations, which isn’t too far off from what the Znamya project was trying to do.

Interested in learning more? Check out this video ⬇️

Sports Stuff

Wayne Gretzky – Why His Stats Are Straight-Up Insane

Wayne Gretzky wasn’t just good at hockey—he was otherworldly. The man didn’t just rewrite the record books; he basically created his own encyclopedia of hockey dominance.

First Off, The Point Total

Wayne Gretzky racked up an absurd 2,857 points over his career. Here’s the kicker: if you took away every single goal he scored (all 894 of them), his 1,963 assists alone would still make him the NHL’s all-time points leader. Yeah, you read that right—he’s literally the greatest passer and scorer in the game’s history. It’s like if Tom Brady had more passing touchdowns than anyone and was the all-time leader in rushing yards. Unreal. And it’s not just about longevity—Gretzky dominated in nearly every season he played, setting records that look more like something out of a video game than real life.

Crazy Stats That Prove It:

• Most career points: 2,857 (nearly 1,000 more than the second-place player)

• Most career goals: 894

• Most career assists: 1,963 (more assists than anyone has total points)

• Most points in a single season: 215 (1985-86)

• Most 50-goal seasons: 9

• Most 100-point seasons: 15 (including 13 in a row)

• Longest point streak: 51 games (1983-84)

• Most points in a single playoff run: 47 (1985)

• Only player to ever have a 200-point season: Achieved it 4 times

Gretzky’s numbers didn’t just set records—they completely shattered them. It’s hard to imagine anyone in today’s game even coming close to matching what he did. He wasn’t just ahead of his time—he was in a league of his own.

What do you think—does Gretzky take the crown as the greatest athlete ever? Hit reply and let us know.