It has been 20 years since Britney Spears released Oops!… I Did It Again – cue gasps of shock and disbelief that, yes, we are that old.
The song was released on March 27, 2000, but the album of the same name hit shelves on May 16, 2000. To mark the milestone anniversary, the pop star tweeted Nasa, to remind them of just how integral they were in the making of her music video for the titular track, set on the Red Planet.
"Hey @Nasa ... I received your gift," Spears tweeted. "I know it’s been 20 years since we met on Mars and I just wanted to say … aww you shouldn’t have."
Nasa's Perseverance Mars Rover replied, writing: "I'm packed and almost ready to fly in July, landing on Mars next February. I’ll collect rocks for a future mission to send back, but know I went down and got them for you."
Nasa's main account even retweeted Spears's original tweet, writing: "It might seem like a crush."
For those in need of a refresh: the Oops!… I Did It Again video is set on Mars.
At the beginning of the video there is "no sign of habitation", a handsome young astronaut (played by Eli Swanson) reports, as he explores the planet from the Mars Lander. He does, however, find a beaten-up Britney Spears CD, which he describes as "cute". As he picks it up, a red-catsuit-wearing Spears appears out of nowhere.
Cut to two minutes and 48 seconds into the video and we have our love story. Spears performs a gravity-defying flip off the stage towards the aforementioned handsome young astronaut and removes his helmet. A risky move, but it pays off as Swanson's character appears able to breathe on Mars.
Then a passage of dialogue follows, which any young millennial worth their Himalayan rock salt can recite word-for-word.
"Britney, before you go, there is something I want you to have," he tells the singer, as he hands her a necklace.
"Oh, it's beautiful ... but wait a minute, isn't this?"
"Yes it is."
"But I thought the old lady dropped it in the ocean in the end," Spears replies, with a Titanic reference, which was already a ripe three years old when this came out in 2000.
"Well baby, I went down and got it for ya."
And then we get the most brutal line of all: "Aww, you shouldn't have." And she walks away with her priceless movie memorabilia.
The astronaut seems undeterred, however, and moonwalks away (another vintage pop culture reference, even in 2000), while his Nasa colleagues on Earth sway away to the song, ignoring the blatant romantic dismissal.
Rewatch the 'Oops!… I Did It Again' video here, it will inevitably be the best four minutes and 11 seconds of your day:
Interestingly, this is not the first time Spears and Nasa have had a fun back and forth on Twitter.
On August 15, 2012, Spears tweeted Mars Curiosity asking: "So, does Mars look the same as it did in 2000?"
The car-sized rover landed on Mars on August 6, 2012, but made time to reply straight away, writing: "Hey Brit Brit. Mars is still looking good. Maybe someday an astronaut will bring me a gift, too. Drill bits crossed."
_____________
Read more:
20 songs that turn 20 in 2020: from Coldplay to Creed and Britney to Baha Men
Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean sends message of hope with new Cat Stevens cover
From 'Glee' to One Direction: the best musical reunions taking place in isolation
_____________
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
UAE Tour 2020
Stage 1: The Pointe Palm Jumeirah - Dubai Silicon Oasis, 148km
Stage 2: Hatta - Hatta Dam, 168km
Stage 3: Al Qudra Cycle Track - Jebel Hafeet, 184km
Stage 4: Zabeel Park - Dubai City Walk, 173km
Stage 5: Al Ain - Jebel Hafeet, 162km
Stage 6: Al Ruwais - Al Mirfa, 158km
Stage 7: Al Maryah Island - Abu Dhabi Breakwater, 127km
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Omar%20Hilal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Farrag%2C%20Bayoumi%20Fouad%2C%20Nelly%20Karim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.9-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E536hp%20(including%20138hp%20e-motor)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E750Nm%20(including%20400Nm%20e-motor)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C380%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
First-round leaderbaord
-5 C Conners (Can)
-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);
-2 C Morikawa (US), M Laird (Sco), C Tringale (US)
Selected others: -1 P Casey (Eng), R Fowler (US), T Hatton (Eng)
Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng)
1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)
3 R McIlroy (NI)
4 D Johnson (US)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
CAF Champions League semi-finals first-leg fixtures
Tuesday:
Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Esperance (TUN) (8pm UAE)
Al Ahly (EGY) v Entente Setif (ALG) (11PM)
Second legs:
October 23
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
