Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Earlier this week near the Colorado foothills, Amy Auffret Shelly was winding down for the night when she left her door unlatched. Her cat, Meatball, hadn’t returned home yet, and she wanted him to be able to come back inside on his own. Meatball eventually did come in — but hours later, so did another,…

Earlier this month, LeAnna Binkley was driving her son to baseball practice when their quiet commute took an unexpected — and slithery — turn. “We’d only been driving about a mile when my son suddenly shouted, ‘Mom! Look at that snake!’” Binkley told The Dodo. “He spotted it slithering between the windshield wipers before it…

Two months ago, as Mr. Beasley drove along a highway in Virginia, he noticed a small, furry lump at the edge of the road — something others had likely passed by without a second glance. But something about it didn’t sit right with him, so he pulled over to take a closer look. That decision…

For nearly a decade, a lonely dog wandered the rooftop of a building in Mexico City — unseen, unloved, and almost forgotten. His “owners” gave him only the bare minimum to survive, leaving him isolated in the scorching sun and rain. Over time, his body became hidden beneath thick mats of filthy, tangled fur. He…

Earlier this month, Sergeant Brett Claxon of the Ohio State Highway Patrol spotted something alarming — a dog standing directly in a lane of traffic on a busy interstate. Thankfully, drivers quickly slowed down, giving Claxon just enough time to guide the pup away from danger. But once the trooper opened his patrol car door…

While out for a drive on Mother’s Day, a couple noticed something unusual on the side of the road — a small, soaked ball of fur sitting motionless in a puddle. Cars passed by without a second glance, but the couple couldn’t ignore it. They pulled over, and the woman carefully approached the tiny creature.…

While on her regular delivery route, a postal worker named Chelle came across something unexpected inside one of the mailboxes — not just a spider, but a handwritten plea to protect her. The note read:“Dear Postal Service … There is a big, beautiful jumping spider living here. Please don’t hurt her! She wants a safe…

About two months ago, workers at a construction waste landfill noticed a heavily pregnant dog wandering around the property. “She was just kind of roaming, clearly hungry,” said Nancy Cowan, a volunteer and board member with Three Little Pitties Rescue. “The employees at the ticket office had been putting food out for her.” Sadly, the…

Wheatie, a sleek black cat with striking yellow eyes, isn’t usually one for affection. She tends to keep her distance from strangers — and even from other animals. But when it comes to her best friend Zelda, she’s a completely different cat. Zelda, a 19-month-old toddler who is blind, has formed a remarkable bond with…

Meet Frederico Alfredo — a loving therapy dog from Brazil who spends his days comforting patients in hospitals alongside his devoted mom, Jamili Saade. Spreading joy is what Frederico does best — but recently, the happiness came back around to him in the most beautiful way. Instagram/frederico__alfredo After being adopted from another state, Frederico’s new…