There is continued speculation regarding funding of the US Space Program and NASA research in general. Planning future explorations in space is expensive, but many counter by arguing that research needed to continue programs like NASA has benefited people in numerous ways. One of the keenest arguments for continuing NASA research is to list the number of ways in which it has affected daily life. We owe many modern inventions we take for granted to NASA.

Inventions from Outer Space, a fantastic book on this subject, was written by David House in 2000. It makes a strong case that NASA research and the research of other space programs has improved quality of life here on earth, and lists numerous side accomplishments of space research. To get a total sense of these accomplishments, it’s recommended you pick up House’s book. What follows in this article is only a few of the ways NASA research benefits Earth dwellers.

Some of NASA research has led to distinct improvements in medicine. Among these we owe the development of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology, which allows for a much clearer picture of certain body systems. Laser technology developed by NASA has been used to create laser eye surgery. Neuromuscular stimulation is used to help people with spinal injuries, and the ocular screening system developed by NASA has made eye examinations a much simpler process.

Research has also led to one of the most important devices all people should have in their homes, smoke detectors. Smoke detectors save lives regularly, reducing injury and warning people so they can get out of homes or other structures when a fire is first detected. Furthermore, many prosthetics for people who have lost limbs owe part of their design to materials invented or developed by NASA.

We owe many of our ergonomically designed desks, chairs and workstations to NASA research. Similarly, if you enjoy watching TV streamed in from your satellite dish you should thank space research programs. Taking a jog with good running shoes is the work of research in space, and when you finish that jog with a drink of freshly purified water, you can thank NASA research too, since technology they developed led to today’s most popular water filters for home use.

Other things developed that may affect daily life include:

• Development of Tempur material or memory foam, now widely used in mattresses
• Creation of lights that mimic the sun to help people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Materials used in clothing that are fire-resistant or are better at keeping in heat
• Invisible braces, which are an offshoot of special ceramics used to make spacecraft stronger.
• Bar coding, which was developed to help NASA keep track of the various parts of a spacecraft, and now is used in every medium to large-sized grocery store.

While explorations in space by NASA and other space programs may seem to be a waste of money to some, it can be argued that the research required to create continued advances is not a waste to most of us. Applications of research by NASA are used by many of us, on a regular and sometimes daily basis.