Innovation in Focus: Surprising Science
Media Credit: NASA
May 13, 2025 • By Diana Rugg, Staff Writer
The International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) National Laboratory sponsors dozens of fundamental science, biotech, and technology development investigations every year to benefit life on Earth, but some of those projects involve very familiar objects. How do a soccer ball, cookies, and even beer contribute to our understanding of science? Take a look at a few everyday things that teach us something new, while allowing astronauts to have a little fun on station.
Having a Ball
Media Credit: NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Adidas researchers measured the spin speed, wobble, and spin axis of soccer balls with different shapes and textures in microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment. to improve the understanding of the interaction between free-flying objects and their environment.
We’ve Been Slimed
Media Credit: NASA
Nickelodeon sent its iconic slime to the ISS to evaluate how this non-Newtonian fluid reacted in microgravity. Astronauts performed a variety of demonstrations and captured it all on video! Additionally, Nickelodeon created a teacher’s guide on the demonstrations to further engage students.
King of… Malting Barley in Space?
Media Credit: NASA
Budweiser, the flagship brand of Anheuser-Busch, has sent a series of experiments to the space station to study barley in microgravity. While the “King of Beers” hopes to someday be the first beer on Mars, researchers also hope to learn how different cultivars of barley can survive stressful growing conditions on Earth.
You Can Be Anything
Media Credit: NASA
Barbie has had more than 250 careers, but none were more out-of-this-world than the role of astronaut. The iconic doll showed girls that they, too, can pursue careers in space when Barbie launched to the ISS in 2022.
Tide Goes Further
Media Credit: NASA
Tide To Go Pens and Tide To Go Wipes went further than ever before when they launched to the space station in 2021 and 2022. The company evaluated stain removal ingredients and performance in microgravity to advance cleaning solutions for resource-constrained environments like space and areas of Earth where water is scarce.
Smells Like Home
Media Credit: NASA
Astronauts were able to try their hand at baking cookies in 2019, thanks to a zero-gravity oven and special aluminum and silicone baking sleeves. They experimented with baking five different cookies at different times and temperatures over five days to see which worked best. While the astronauts were treated to the smell of fresh-baked treats, the cookies themselves were sent back to Earth for food-safety testing.
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