What Do Astronauts Do With Pee in Space?

This week Reactions is taking the science and chemistry to Mars! Today we're looking at a brilliant new potential use for pee in space, and URINE for a surprise, it flows a bit farther than drinking water!

Find us on all these places:
Subscribe! http://bit.ly/ACSReactions
Facebook! http://facebook.com/ACSReactions
Twitter! http://twitter.com/ACSReactions
Tumblr! http://acsreactions.tumblr.com/

Producer:
Kirk Zamieroski

Writer:
Alexa Billow

Executive Producer:
Adam Dylewski

Scientific consultants:
Mark A. Blenner, Ph.D.
Darcy Gentleman, Ph.D.
Kyle Nackers

SOURCES:

article on the pee story:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a17007/nasa-waste-yeast/

http://www.chron.com/news/nation-world/space/article/NASA-funds-research-to-recycled-human-waste-for-6455591.php


challenges associated with a trip to mars:

https://www.space.com/11417-mars-missions-space-travel-challenges.html

https://www.wired.com/2016/02/space-is-cold-vast-and-deadly-humans-will-explore-it-anyway/


using urine to grow plants in space:

https://www.livescience.com/58254-growing-tomatoes-in-urine-for-mars-missions.html

plants in deep space and on mars:

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-plant-researchers-explore-question-of-deep-space-food-crops

NASA video on Veggies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9aR2-7sOjg

background on the nitrogen cycle//why we need all this stuff
additive manufacturing on station

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2198.html

Getting thirsty in space:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/67854/how-do-astronauts-get-drinking-water-iss

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/aug/26/us-astronauts-recycled-urine-international-space-station

about the engineer behind pee recycling systems:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150527-solving-a-space-stations-toilet-shaped-problem

more recently installed system:

https://www.space.com/34688-recycled-astronaut-pee-boosts-deep-space-travel.html

Ever wonder why dogs sniff each others' butts? Or how Adderall works? Or whether it's OK to pee in the pool? We've got you covered: Reactions a web series about the chemistry that surrounds you every day.

Reactions is produced by the American Chemical Society.

Prochain épisode

S04E37 - What Makes Rubber Rubbery?