Warning: Video contains astronomical levels of nerdery.

/I, for one, welcome our Lego brick overlords

I applaud the ingenuity, but can we just give NASA more money already?

Who in the hell put this guy in the space program to begin with?

Did someone say Van Der Graaf Generator?

Muuru: Who in the hell put this guy in the space program to begin with?

I'm no detective, but I'd guess it was probably NASA.

And, why?

Very cool. Just consider that you're watching basic physics being demonstrated in zero G.

I love Don Petit. His speech cadence makes him sounds a bit simple-minded, but he's actually very brilliant. I've listened to him discuss experiments with ground engineers and he was completely up to speed on the tech.

I love his fun outlook on science and that he enjoys sharing his wonder.

I feel terrible for saying this, but the whole "LAY-GO" thing started to get unsettling for me very quickly. No idea why.

Welcome to Obama's Space Program, amirite??

No mention of the forces applied to the ISS from the drill?
Or the fact that he was generating a spark in an oxygen rich environment?
WTF?

Ianman: No mention of the forces applied to the ISS from the drill?
Or the fact that he was generating a spark in an oxygen rich environment?
WTF?

It's no more oxygen rich than air on Earth. Pure oxygen spacecraft environments went out of style after Apollo 1.

Ianman: No mention of the forces applied to the ISS from the drill?
Or the fact that he was generating a spark in an oxygen rich environment?
WTF?

I bet there's a reason neither of those things were mentioned.

Nem Wan: Ianman: No mention of the forces applied to the ISS from the drill?
Or the fact that he was generating a spark in an oxygen rich environment?
WTF?

It's no more oxygen rich than air on Earth. Pure oxygen spacecraft environments went out of style after Apollo 1.

From Apollo/Soyuz (c.1975) Wikipedia entry:

The docking module was designed as both an adapter, as the Apollo and Soyuz had different docking mechanisms, and an airlock, as the Apollo was pressurized at 5.0 psi using pure oxygen, while the Soyuz used a nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere at sea level pressure.

Pure O² was used beyond Apollo 1

I see trolling is still easy here.
Would anyone like to see a video that is not Rick Astley?

Odokemono: I love Don Petit. His speech cadence makes him sounds a bit simple-minded, but he's actually very brilliant. I've listened to him discuss experiments with ground engineers and he was completely up to speed on the tech.

I love his fun outlook on science and that he enjoys sharing his wonder.

I recognized his voice instantly. I was like, "That's the guy who made a video about bubbles inside a sphere of water."

Ianman: I see trolling is still easy here.
Would anyone like to see a video that is not Rick Astley?

A simple "my bad, I wasn't thinking cause I had a few too many shots of Jameson" would have been sufficient. Playing the "lol I was trolling u guyz" card is a real bad cop-out for what could otherwise have been a simple issue of typing before you think.

Own up to your mistakes, don't try to play yourself off as someone who is actively trying to troll. That's just lame.

"with Lay----Gos"

The electrostatic "orbit" was awesome. Can't do that dirtside.

That guy must have taken the short shuttle up there.

I thought astronauts were supposed to be cool.

Sylvia_Bandersnatch: I feel terrible for saying this, but the whole "LAY-GO" thing started to get unsettling for me very quickly. No idea why.

Ianman: I see trolling is still easy here.
Would anyone like to see a video that is not Rick Astley?

LOL I TROL U

johnnyboog: I thought astronauts were supposed to be cool.

He is significantly cooler than you, anyway

Would someone post a link for this from somewhere else? Gizmodo is blocked here and I'd like to see what's going on.

Thanks.

Okoboji: Would someone post a link for this from somewhere else? Gizmodo is blocked here and I'd like to see what's going on.

Thanks.

No problem, here it is.

he's not really generating electricity, he's converting electricity into higher voltage electricity, that drill doesn't spin without power.

toyotaboy: he's not really generating electricity, he's converting electricity into higher voltage electricity, that drill doesn't spin without power.

You're right, but the source of motion could be something else, such as a water wheel, tidal action.. do you really need this explained, or are you being pedantic?

At about 2:40 they turn the lights off to make the spark stand out. Does anyone else notice what looks like stars?
On second viewing the dots are present throughout the video so maybe not.

Sylvia_Bandersnatch

Thanks! That was pretty cool, though I admit I was expecting a slightly larger contraption.