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The Seven Best Webcams to Watch to Get Rid of Election Jitters

We’ve got puppies and kittens aplenty; we’ve got space views and sun flares galore.
Bald eagle. Image: Pen Waggener

Anxious about the US presidential election? We at Motherboard hear you, friend. That's why we're cultivating such an expertly chill vibe today, with stories of happy mothers, Siberian snowballs, and catalysts for more Canadian-American romance. (As a Canadian married to an American, I'm especially partial to that last one).

To better soothe your nerves and relieve your mind, we have also corralled some of the most comforting livestreams and relaxing webcams the internet has to offer. No matter what your stake is in this election, we can all agree that puppies are adorable, eagles are badass, and the view from Earth is ridiculously gorgeous. If the tension of today's events gets too stifling or the outcomes are not to your liking, scroll down for some curated internet zen.

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Americans: It is implied, of course, that you only do this after you vote. If you haven't, do it now, and then come back for the aforementioned zen.

Southwest Florida Eagle Cam

Video: Southwest Florida Eagle Cam/YouTube

What's more simultaneously patriotic and comforting than watching bald eagles go about their business on election day? These beauties are based in Florida, but there are lots of other bald eagle webcams available from locations all around North America.

READ MORE: Why the "Zoos of the Future" Will Probably Be Webcams Scattered Around the World

Jackson Hole Town Square

Video: See Jackson Hole/YouTube

As Motherboard's Rachel Pick pointed out a few weeks ago, people can't get enough of this livestream overlooking the town square of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. "While this livestream sounds like potentially the most boring thing in the world," she said, "the effect of watching is almost narcotic."

Warrior Canine Connection Puppy Enrichment Center

Video: Explore Dogs/Cats/YouTube

Truly, one of the greatest things about being alive today is the multitude of puppy cams available online. But we chose to highlight the very special doggies at the Warrior Canine Connection Puppy Enrichment Center, who are being trained as service dogs for combat veterans with disabilities.

Kitten Academy

Video: Kitten Academy/YouTube

Where there be puppy webcams, so too must there be kitten webcams. Again, there is no lack of kitten content out there; the internet practically runs on it. But we opted for the Kitten Academy livestream, which is run out of a shelter in Illinois, and features an awesome, multi-angle perspective on the antics of its residents.

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Live Coral Reef Cam

Cue up "Aquarium" by Camille Saint-Saëns and enjoy this view of the kaleidoscopically biodiverse Philippine Coral Reef tank run by the California Academy of Sciences.

International Space Station Livefeed

Video: NASA

Last week, the International Space Station (ISS) celebrated its 16th year of continuous human occupation, an enormous milestone for this ambitious and ongoing collaborative endeavor. You can check in on the ISS interior when the crew is on duty, and marvel at views of the amazing space-down views of Earth in their off hours. If you only want views of Earth, check out this streaming video of highlighted ISS footage.

The Sun Being the Sun

Video: Space Videos/YouTube

While we're on the topic of space, why not check out some of the most epic stuff the Sun has been up to lately? These mesmerizing time-lapses of looped Sun flares were captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), and are accompanied by some spacey ambient tunes for the ultimate comfort fix.

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