The Impact of NASA on the Everyday

NASA @ Home NASA's in your house. Right now. NASA

Sure, it stinks of a slick, smart PR effort to remind us of all the wondrous things that NASA has brought to our world, but we're kind of buying it. NASA has a new interactive feature that re-directs you to 3D renditions of an ordinary house and city and reveals the cool technology spun-off from agency projects over the years.

The highlights include infrared ear thermometers, memory metals, water purifiers, smart clothing, better pillows and sports equipment. And, at a grocery store near you, hyperspectral monitoring of chicken! Some products are less impressive than others (is our space agency really bragging about its invention of edible toothpaste?) but all wind up conveying one thing: NASA's impact extends to Earth every bit as much as skywards.