NASA’s Inventions In Our Homes

From the moon to your home, NASA’s inventions that changed our lives

We never think so, but innovation doesn’t always follow pre-established paths. Many everyday objects are, in hindsight, born with very different objectives. Today I want to tell you about three discoveries that traveled from the moon to your home, the inventions of NASA that changed our lives.

Freeze-dried foods

If you are a lover of vegetable nut or instant coffee you have to thank the NASA experts. The creation of freeze-dried foods dates back to the first space travels.

The engineers needed to answer two main problems. And that is to save space and keep food in the best possible state. Well, the drying did not meet these criteria. As most of the food principles were lost in the process.

For this reason, the engineers invented a solution capable of keeping foods in a state that retains all their nutritional qualities. And after the first space travels, freeze-dried foods landed in US supermarkets and then in the rest of the world.

Infrared thermometer

We are sadly getting used to temperature control outside restaurants and clubs. Although this procedure is unfortunately necessary, it is annoying to wait every time outside a shop for the salesperson in charge.

But know that if it weren’t for the American astronauts the situation would be much more complicated. The first infrared ear thermometer was in fact invented by NASA in order to avoid the proliferation of pathogens.

Without this discovery we should in fact use the classic electric or mercury thermometer, with the risk of spreading the virus. As if this were not enough we should wait for the classic five minutes outside the premises, with further queues and delays.

Wireless headphones

Well before Apple invented the AirPods, NASA was already using wireless headphones. The first prototype of the headphones was invented by American Air Force pilots, only to be perfected by the American space agency in the 1960s.

This technology was used by the first astronauts, including those who first walked on the moon during the famous Apollo 13 mission. Fifty years later, the famous Cupertino company perfected the system to arrive at the current design.