Did you ever wonder what it would be like to pop a water balloon in space?

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to pop a water balloon in space? Well, did you?

If you did, then you understand the fun/science connection. Because that very kind of daydreamish, aimless, just-for-the-fun-of-it wondering is the very stuff of the scientific mind. Witness this very abovementioned site: Did you ever wonder what it would be like to pop a water balloon in space? The explanation:

The tests were conducted in part to develop the ability to rapidly deploy large liquid drops by rupturing an enclosing membrane. As can be seen from the experiment footage, the initial rupture process is nearly ideal, but the finite size of the balloon material eventually ejects a spray from the drop surface. Then, when the balloon material leaves the drop entirely, it causes a large deformation of the drop (blob) which oscillates throughout the remainder of the test. Calculations suggest that such oscillations will continue for hours before the drop eventually becomes spherical. Highspeed photographs of punctured Water Balloons in a Lab were also taken.

But don't let those scientific-sounding observations fool you. The truth is - they did it all for fun.

See the pictures. Watch the movies. Play on.