Futuris

Remember the old saw about the pocket calculator being an off-shoot of man's mission to the moon back in the day? That seems imminently preferrable to the limitless possibilities of the current space programme.

Toilet-to-tap, finally a reality:

NASA plans to double the size of the space station crew from three members to six next year. The shuttle carries two new sleeping compartments and a water recycling system that will enable the crew to purify urine and other wastewater for drinking.

"We did blind taste tests of the water," said NASA's Bob Bagdigian, the system's lead engineer. "Nobody had any strong objections. Other than a faint taste of iodine, it is just as refreshing as any other kind of water."

"I've got some in my fridge," he added. "It tastes fine to me."

Can't wait to get my first snifter full.