(Photo of Sally Ride by NASA)

In the early days of spaceflight, doctors suspected that in microgravity, menstrual blood wouldn't flow out of the vagina, but remain inside and lead to infections.

But the experiences of more than 50 women who have been to space prove that assumption completely untrue. The New York Times quotes astronaut Dr. Rhea Seddon:

In a NASA oral history, Dr. Rhea Seddon, an astronaut who flew on three space shuttle missions in the 1980s and 1990s, said, “I’m not totally sure who had the first period in space, but they came back and said, ‘Period in space, just like period on the ground. Don’t worry about it.’”

There are, however, logistical difficulties with cleanliness, the management of menstrual blood, and the physical task of changing tampons in microgravity:

“The waste disposal systems onboard the U.S. side of the International Space Station that reclaim water from urine were not designed to handle menstrual blood, thus idealizing the minimization of breakthrough bleeding during menstrual suppression,” write the authors, whose review included discussions with the astronauts Dr. Ellen Baker and Serena Aunon, among others. Also, “the practicalities of personal hygiene while menstruating during spaceflight could be challenging, e.g., limited wash water supply or the task of changing hygiene products in microgravity.”

-via Glenn Reynolds

(Photo: Traci Andracke)

Brooklyn Andracke gets very excited when the garbage truck rolls through her neighborhood. It's a chance to meet the driver and her friend, Delvar Dopson. They wave at each other and Dopson honks the powerful horn on his truck.

So when Brooklyn had her third birthday party, she saved a cupcake for Dopson. Brooklyn's mother writes on Facebook:

Brooklyn and I wrapped up one of her birthday cupcakes and waited for him. When he came down our street, she ran to the corner. We were waving like usual and I motioned for him to come over by us. He pulled over, got out and gave us his BIG smile. Brooklyn was instantly speechless as she handed him the cupcake. I explained to him that he makes our day every Thursday, and we really appreciate the honking and waving, and how special of a day it is for us.

Then... (melt my heart)... he explained that he looks forward to seeing us every Thursday as well. He said that he has a meeting every Thursday morning and always tries to get out of there in a hurry so that he can make sure to see us every week. He said he doesn't have any kids of his own, but he mentors several children and just loves them. I can't believe that I never got his name, so for now he will continue to be "our favorite awesome smiley garbage man".

-via BuzzFeed

Depression level sadness makes people feel small and critter-like, as they wallow in a sea of dark thoughts and dour moods with warm blanket to crawl under and music that matches thier mood.

But this is obviously not a good way to handle a visit from the Boohoo Blues, so those who have learned to live and love the depressed find ways to lighten their mood that don't involve hugging.

Those who want to help the depressed, and anyone looking for a cure to sadness, should check out this comic by YMB/Yasmin F and see how ten easy steps can make even the most gloomy person crack a smile!

See full comic here

-Via Idealist 4 Ever

(Photos: Polk County Fire Rescue)

A house in Mulberry, Florida caught on fire. Firefighters put it out, rescuing the man and guinea pig who lived there. Once they got the guinea pig out, the firefighters administered oxygen to it. The guinea pig was reported in adorable condition.

We've covered some of the crazy suits offered at Opposuits before, but generally speaking, the whole gimmick of their clothing is how ugly it is. Now that they've released this amazing Pac-Man suit though, they've obviously changed their goals because this thing is simply gorgeous. 

The design is perfect for all of your suit needs -especially if you have an upcoming day in court.

Via Geek Tyrant

Two burglary suspects made off in a Ford Mustang convertible in Los Angeles yesterday. For felons, they were incredibly chill about the whole thing. You'd have no reason to think that they were fleeing criminals instead of just guys out looking for a good time.

The police held back instead of pursuing them closely, thus potentially endangering innocent people. In fact, when the fellas decided to finally stop, sit on their cars, chat with pedestrians, and take selfies, it took a while for police to show up and arrest them.

(Video Link)

Thankfully, the entire bizarre scene was caught on camera with a news helicopter crew. If anyone was enjoying the event more than the thieves, it was two reporters with Fox 10. Duing the chase, they made jokes, speculated about taking down the suspects themselves, and marveled at their antics.

You must see the entire video, for it is good. So very, very good.

-via Geekologie

It was quite a baby shower!

Abby Rogers, the photographer, says that this happens a lot during newborn baby photo shoots. In fact, in her experience, this always happens for a long shoot. But this is the first time that she captured it on camera. Her timing was hilariously perfect. The Daily Mail reports:

'Babies like to get to me as soon as I am undressing them... typically as I am posing them,' Mrs Rogers said.

'They are so warm and they are naked for a few hours so they get comfortable but sometimes I get lucky and it's during the part when they have a diaper on.'

This little boy is the couple's third son, so they weren't surprised either.

-via Geekologie

Cats will act like there’s nothing on earth that will scare them, until something does. And when that happens, it’s something completely inconsequential to we humans. It may sound mean, but it can be a satisfying payback for the times they’ve tripped you in the middle of the night or attacked your ankles from under the bed. But like most parents, we try to shield our babies from anything that may cause anxiety. This is the latest comic from Chaos Life.

Photoshop is a powerful tool, and learning to use the software can make you feel mighty powerful when you start doing stuff like seamlessly swapping heads or cutting and pasting people in and out of pics with impunity.

Because of this feeling of power many Photoshoppers wind up using their skills for evil, trolling and sometimes even ruining lives by manipulating images for the Dark Side.

But 18th Level Photoshop Wizard James Fridman is different- he's using his trolling powers for good...and because people keep asking him to mess with their pics.

James' Photoshop skills are in such high demand that people keep sending him pics to digitally alter despite the fact that his trollish sense of humor often leaves the subjects looking a little silly.

See This Guy's Photoshop Skills Are In High Demand here

The position of an airline pilot demands respect because he has a skill you don’t, and your life depends on that skill. At the same time, it’s a job like any other, and has its up and downs. Many are particular to the career, like all that travel without any time to see the sights. And then there are other things the rest of us never think about.

2. THERE’S NO READING IN THE COCKPIT.

Eric Auxier, a captain with more than two decades of experience for a major carrier, says that most name-brand airlines prohibit taking anything into the cockpit that could serve as a distraction: no magazines, no paperbacks, no music, and no knitting. “We talk amongst ourselves," he says. "That’s all we’re legally allowed to do.”

9. PEEING CAN BE PAINFUL.

According to Smith, kidney stones are a common occupational hazard. Pilots don’t always hydrate properly, and post-9/11 Federal Aviation Association (FAA) rules about entering the cabin can make a trip to the bathroom a chore. It all adds up to stress on the urinary tract. “The protocols for leaving the cockpit are very strict,” he says. “It’s inconvenient to get up when the cabin crew is serving refreshments, too, so we tend to hold it in.”

It’s not all bad news, though. Read a lot more trivia about the job of an airline pilot at mental_floss.

(Video Link)

It's called an alpine coaster or Rodelbahn. It's a mechanical roller coaster that slides you down a metal chute through the most beautiful scenery in Kandersteg, Switzerland. Brice Milleson recorded his amazing experience on it in 2013.

-via Twisted Sifter

Last fall, animator James Curran spent a month in New York City. Each day he created a new .gif inspired by something he did that day. Put together, they are a collection of funny vignettes that keep an active rhythm as if they were set to a song.

(vimeo link)

If you see one you particularly like more than the others, they are all posted individually in .gif form at Curran's website. -via Everlasting Blort

That’s a depressing attitude to start the say with, and he was wrong anyway. Today will turn out to be fantastic, even if you don’t run into any dragons or orcs or witches. It will be fantastic because of what you make of it. This comic is from Lunarbaboon.

The eel swam in his own, otherwise empty tank at the FairPrice Ultra supermarket in the Changi Business Park in Singapore. He noticed that the neighboring tank had tasty prawns, so he slipped over the barrier and had a snack.

(Video Link)

YouTube user itedaniel recorded the eel then returning to his own tank.

-via Nothing to Do with Aborath

(They Can Talk/Jimmy Craig)

Cats are naturally tidy. They know that if they need to cough up something, such as a hairball or a dead bird, then they need to dispose of it properly in your sneakers. Dogs, in contrast, will just barf anywhere.