10 Things We All Use That Were Originally Created by NASA

Anyone who sleeps on a memory foam mattress can thank NASA for their sweet dreams. The shock-absorbing, body-molding material was developed in 1966, when the space agency commissioned aeronautical engineer Charles Yost to help improve aircraft seating for better crash and vibration protection during take-off and landing. As it turns out, Yost’s “slow spring back” polymeric foam was not only safer, but it was also more comfortable. In the 1980s, NASA released memory foam to the public domain. Cue the Tempur-Pedic commercials.

Yep, you have a closet-full of astronaut-approved shoes! The famous shock-absorbing soles of Nike Airs are the patented invention of former NASA engineer M. Frank Rudy, whose “blow rubber molding” technique had been applied to space helmets during the Apollo missions. Once marketed to elite runners, the hollowed-out midsoles boasting polyurethane pouches of dense gasses are now a style staple.

Before computers sat on desks and laps across the world, they were giant “arithmetic machines” that looked more like a wall of switchboards than personal use devices. As NASA began to utilize them for all aspects of space travel, they wanted to make computers easier for humans to interact with, so it funneled funding into the research of Doug Englebart, an engineer at the Stanford Research Institute who was also trying to broaden the horizons of computer use. In 1968, Englebart publicly presented the computer mouse in a landmark demonstration that would retroactively be known as “The Mother of All Demos,” changing the way computers were used forever.

In 1972, the Food and Drug Administration issued a regulation that eyeglass lenses be shatter-proof, which quickly led manufacturers to replace glass with plastic. The downside, however, was that plastic was way more susceptible to scratches—not great if you’re trying to see clearly. The solution was accidentally found when NASA began researching plastics to use for astronaut helmets and other aerospace equipment. In 1983, the Foster-Grant Corporation obtained a license from NASA to further develop scratch-resistant technology, which eventually went to mass market.

All your selfies and Instagram posts? The result of NASA research. In the 1990s a team led by Eric Fossum at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory set out to improve CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) sensors used in digital photography in order to allow for high-def images from miniature cameras that could be used during space missions. That technology is now used in GoPros, cell phone cameras and even X-rays.

The portable, cordless mini vacuum you probably use to clean up cat hair is the result of a partnership between NASA and Black and Decker, in which the company was tapped to help create powerful, self-contained tools that astronauts could easily use on… the moon. No big deal. What was originally a power drill to collect space dust is now picking up regular ol’ dust in homes everywhere.

You might not use the stuff now, but we’re sure you did at one point in your life. In the 1980s, NASA scientists began looking into microalgae as a source of food and nutrition on long space trips. The enriched ingredient was later used to patent Formulaid, a highly beneficial supplement found in many baby formulas. Yum.

This isn’t technically a product, but it’s definitely something you couldn’t live without. Literally. In an effort to reduce the number of hydroplaning accidents on aircraft runways, NASA came up with innovative pavement grooving. The technique improves tire friction, and it’s since been applied to commercial airport runways and on major highways across the country. It’s reduced weather-related accidents on slippery highways by nearly 100 percent.

Here’s a reason to smile. Invisible braces from well-known companies like Invisalign have made fixing your teeth easier (and more bully-proof) than ever. In a pretty badass turn of events, they are actually derived from NASA technology used to track heat-seeking missiles. The material used is called “transparent polycrystalline alumina,” which could be stronger than steel.

LOL, remember paper maps? They’re a thing of the past thanks to NASA’s hyperaccurate Global Positioning System, or GPS. The radio navigation system uses a constellation of over 30 satellites, whose movements are tracked by a ground control network. In the 1990s, GPS was improved from 15-meter to 5-centimeter accuracy and while it’s crucial for NASA’s space missions, it’s also a necessity for anyone going on a road trip down here on Earth.