Abril 19, 2013

Wringing out a washcloth in space.

Think about what would happen. Then watch:



Did you predict that? Via Boingboing.

40 komento:

edutcher ayon kay ...

Didn't see that one coming.

Makes you wonder how sex in space would really look.

Sorun ayon kay ...

The Canadian contribution to space exploration. Thanks.

PackerBronco ayon kay ...

Ha! I predicted it!!! Surface tension babeee: defies gravity so that plants can get water from the stem to the leaf and makes your capillaries work.

Joe ayon kay ...

I expected that, but this isn't science, it's a stunt.

Methadras ayon kay ...

Well he did wring it slowly so that he didn't break the surface tension of water, otherwise it would be going all over the place if there was any vigorous effort.

Original Mike ayon kay ...

"Did you predict that?"

Yes. Ask us a hard one.

jacksonjay ayon kay ...


NOW, I'm convinced that all that money spent on space exploration was worth it! Telling me that Tang and disposable diapers were the result of space travel just didn't do it!

Eric the Fruit Bat ayon kay ...

In space no one can hear you bathe.

Michelle Dulak Thomson ayon kay ...

That wasn't my guess. But, then, when I wring things out I tend to shake them more than that.

Was he literally clamped to the floor, or do they use magnetic boots, or what?

Michelle Dulak Thomson ayon kay ...

When I saw the washcloth package, I was expecting something like a Jiffy-Pot expansion to follow.

Unknown ayon kay ...

Predicted it, but still wanted to see how it would actually look.

traditionalguy ayon kay ...

But have you ever seen sharding of frozen water?

Sir Isaac Newton would be very puzzled by a gravity free space. What holds things together?

My compliments to the Creative Designer whose Word Sir Isaac spent much of his life deciphering.

Freeman Hunt ayon kay ...

I did not predict that. Cool!

MadisonMan ayon kay ...

My prediction: The water won't move away from the washcloth, and will just be re-absorbed. Now I'll click the link.

MadisonMan ayon kay ...

I'll call myself half-right. Didn't foresee the water wicking along his hands like it did.

I wonder what would happen if his hands were covered in Vaseline when he performed the experiment.

Sam L. ayon kay ...

Science fiction fans know this.

Jaq ayon kay ...

Didn't predict it but should have. As soon as you see it it is obvious that is what should happen.

bagoh20 ayon kay ...

That is freaking awesome, and the exact opposite of what I expected. I assumed that wringing created sufficient pressure inside the rag to squirt it out in all directions.

And all stunts are science.

Brew Master ayon kay ...

Easy to predict, the only thing I found unexpected was the amount wicking action along his hands.

As far as how they stay in one place, they have foot/hand straps attached to the 'walls' that they can use to anchor themselves.

Brew Master ayon kay ...

You should see how a match burns in zero G.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q58-la_yAB4

Smilin' Jack ayon kay ...

Probably the most significant scientific experiment ever done on the ISS.

chuck ayon kay ...

Exactly what I expected, but still cool to see.

Faith Matters ayon kay ...

The results were obvious after the fact, but I did not predict them. On an entirely different note: Those "hockey-puck" washcloths are readily available on-line, probably also in sports stores. I love having them on hand when hiking.

furious_a ayon kay ...

Opening a bag of potato chips in space.

Careful! They're ruffled!

furious_a ayon kay ...

Screw the washrag water-goo, I want one of those floating microphones!

Balfegor ayon kay ...

No, that did not play out the way I expected. I thought it was going to huge numbers of tiny droplets spraying in every direction. But maybe it's just that he was doing it so slowly.

Scott M ayon kay ...

Just way too awesome. I bet he gets laid a lot.

Christy ayon kay ...

Fun to watch even if it was entirely predictable. I've carried a hockey puck towel in my car for decades and in homage to Douglas Adams, usually one in my purse. Maybe less homage than the hope of getting a lift on a passing spaceship.

Ann Althouse ayon kay ...

"I thought it was going to huge numbers of tiny droplets spraying in every direction."

Me too.

jacksonjay ayon kay ...


This reminds me of Howard Wolowitz trip to space?

traditionalguy ayon kay ...

Mr Wizard in space. Is he being hard on Johnny again?

Is that what Counter intuitive means? We only want to see what we envisioned. And that is Obama medias secret....paint a vision that is false but can get 51% of the vote anyway.

And how is AlGores boiling hot sciFi CO2 poisoned planet doing this cold day?

traditionalguy ayon kay ...
Naalis ng may-ari ang komentong ito.
Clyde ayon kay ...

I recently read Mary Roach's Packing For Mars: The Curious Science of Life In the Void. It goes into a lot of the problems with zero gravity and personal hygiene (or lack of same) in space. After reading her interviews with astronauts, space travel loses some of its romantic luster. Like submarines, you only have the air you went with, although the submarines at least can surface occasionally to let the stink out. They also don't have to worry about escaped turd fragments floating around occasionally.

ndspinelli ayon kay ...
Naalis ng may-ari ang komentong ito.
Unknown ayon kay ...

The water emerges holus-bolus from the rag.

Matt ayon kay ...

Did not guess that. Thanks for sharing.

kentuckyliz ayon kay ...

I bet they can't jerk off in space. Unless they drape a towel over it first.

Could you imagine...free floating semen?

Synova ayon kay ...

I wonder how often astronauts come home and drop things.

Anga2010 ayon kay ...

Am I the only one who noticed that drops of water were spraying off in every direction as he handled and manipulated the cloth? It's impossible to believe that no one else noticed that!

scrubjay ayon kay ...

My first thought was that it was going to fly off in all directions but when I saw what the water did as it was coming out of the water bag nozzle I changed my prediction to the correct outcome. I saw that the surface tension of the water around the nozzle was keeping it all together and attached to the nozzle. I then predicted that it would do the same thing with the wash cloth.

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