For astronauts in space, play is a way to stay safe
Astronauts have gone from watching movies on cassettes to dipping into their Netflix queues. (NASA/)The lucky residents of the international Space Station pull 12-hour shifts, including two and a half hours of gym time and six and a half hours of lab work, among other duties. They sleep eight hours, leaving another four for goofing off in zero gravity. If the timing’s right, they call home to catch up. They watch their alma maters play football (the Army-Navy game is particularly popular). NASA has sent up playthings like guitars, keyboards, and a saxophone, as well as a chess set outfitted with Velcro to keep the pieces from floating away.Staying entertained is vital because when you’re on long space flights, boredom can be dangerous. “It leads to performance errors,” says NASA Senior Operational Psychologist James Picano. Breaking a tool is a lot more worrisome when you’re trying to keep a vessel...