Good Guy NASA: Improving Veggies and Sending Us to Mars
Americans are pretty skeptical when it comes to new technologies impacting their lives, but the vast majority can get behind one group: NASA.
This week, President Trump signed a law calling for close to $20 billion in funding for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and laid out a road map for the agency’s future.
Aspiring astronauts take note: For the next several decades, human space exploration takes priority. The law aspires to put man on the moon (again) and Mars by 2021 and 2033, and to “expand permanent human presence beyond low-Earth orbit.” It also focuses on technological advancements in satellites, aeronautics, and nuclear fuel–research that will surely benefit those of us on terra firma as well.
In fact, NASA’s research has arguably contributed more to societal advancement than any other federal agency. Space research even brings more to your dinner plate than you’d think: Farmers use NASA sensors to monitor plant nutrients so they know how to efficiently feed their crops. GPS technology allows for automated agricultural equipment, and a NASA-developed air purifier keeps produce fresh on its way to your local grocer.
Take a look at some of NASA’s coolest discoveries and developments below, and see more at List 25’s Coolest NASA Discoveries That Changed Your Life.
- Solar Power
- Artificial Limbs
- Scratch-Resistant Lenses
- Memory Foam
- Infrared Ear Thermometers
- Shoe Insoles
- Smoke Detectors
- Cordless Power Tools
- Enriched Baby Food
- Freeze Drying
- Pollution Remediation
- Better Tires
- Light-emitting Diodes (LED)
- Chemical Detection
- Firefighting Equipment