Amelia Grant

All the things that surround us were once invented by someone. James King created the first washing machine that facilitates our daily routine. We are able to talk to our friends over the ocean because Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Did you ever imagine that you should thank NASA for the isolation in your walls, camera on your phone, and such a comfortable mattress that you dive into at night? Here is the list of eight things you might use every day that were created by NASA.

1. Precision GPS

A few decades ago GPS wasn’t as perfect at determining your position. Jet Propulsion Laboratory employees began developing precise GPS software that could correct these errors in the middle of the 90s. It is helpful not only for sailors and pilots. Precision GPS is also used by phones, cars, and even self-propelled agricultural equipment.

2. Healthy baby food

Developing nutritional alternatives for astronauts that will travel to Mars, researchers accidentally discovered a form of omega-3 fatty acids. Those acids were found only in breast milk and they are really vital for child development. Omega-3 fatty acids are added to over 90% of baby food on the market. 

3. LED light bulbs for night and day

The dual-tone light bulbs were created to enhance daytime attentiveness and to calm down when you need to turn off the lights. The National Space Biomedical Research Program team created a prototype in 2015 and found that light of different colors or wavelengths can help people stay alert or feel sleepy.

4. Plant-air purifier

Plants emit gas and it usually accumulates in the closed conditions of the space station. So NASA developers created an ethylene scrubber that is used in the International Space Station. Now similar technology is common for many industries. It helps to keep food fresh for a long time in grocery stores and prevent waste in winemakers.

5. Safe food storage

NASA, in partnership with Pillsbury, has developed a new standard that keeps freeze-dried foods safe and healthy. This standard is now used all over the world and is profitable for almost everyone. The standard prolongs the shelf life of food and reduces the risk of infection by chemicals and different bacteria. 

6. Scratch-resistant glasses

Most of us take the scratch-resistant eyeglass coating for granted. But some fundamental studies on it were done at NASA's Ames Research Center. The researchers were trying to improve the visors of helmets for astronauts and membranes of water cleaning systems. In the 1980s this science was applied to glasses, sunglasses and protective masks for security and color enhancing.

7. Transparent braces

You certainly know about Invisalign Bronx and the Direct Smile Club. Invisible transparent braces became an opportunity to avoid the Brace-Face shortcut. So everyone who transformed their smiles thanks to those bracers should be thankful to NASA and 3M Products for developing the transparent ceramics.

 8. The handheld vacuum

The famous Dustbuster was also kindly provided by NASA. They developed battery-powered instruments for collecting samples from the lunar surfaces in partnership with Black & Decker. The device was so good and so convenient for this task that it was immediately adjusted for hospitals, industry, and home needs. This is where portable cordless tools come from.