NASA Pays ‘Pillownauts’ Well To Lie In Bed For Weeks On End

In order to study the long-term effects of micro-gravity on the human body, NASA is looking for a few good lazy people to lie in bed all day sleeping, watching TV and playing video games.

Apparently, the job pays as much as $US160 a day—which means I could earn an extra $US5,000 per month writing for Giz while lying down and peeing into a bedpan. Sounds like a dream come true, but I will not be signing up. You see, these “pillownauts” experience nasty side effects like sore feet, muscle weakness, headaches, toothaches and runny noses/eyes. Plus, I would think that lying on your back for weeks on end like that would drive you to madness.

Still, this is what our astronauts will have to contend with should we make extended trips to the Moon and, eventually, Mars—so it is a necessary evil. But the question remains: could you handle this for a month in the name of science? [PopSci]