There are a lot of unappealing science jobs out there—carcass cleaner, anal-wart researcher, Kansas biology teacher—and we at Popular Science have written about a lot of them in our annual “Worst Jobs in Science” feature. [Check out last year’s here].
My personal favorite is the ballerina NASA hired last year to help demonstrate the abilities of a remarkable new robotic skin, developed to allow robots to sense the presence of astronauts in space and move out of their way. The only problem is, the demo ‘bot looks a bit, well, phallic.
The space administration apparently thought better of its demonstration methods (the video was taken down from its site not long after our 2005 honors were announced), but luckily, I’ve discovered a reemergence of the seductive duet on YouTube (see below).
It's hard to top, but we’re going to try. Know of someone with an absurd, dangerous, painful, disgusting or otherwise humiliating job? Let us know below in the comments. He or she may even show up in our next installment, coming in spring 2007. —Kalee Thompson
hehe, that's is strange for sure...
Posted by: Keith L. Dick | October 24, 2006 at 06:16 PM
Wow... This is one of the most bizzare things I've ever seen. And from NASA!? That was just a little money that could have gone to a manned Mars mission, what a waste.
Posted by: Grey | October 25, 2006 at 07:48 AM
Hmmm, I wouldn't call it "absurd, dangerous, painful, disgusting or otherwise humiliating"... But it's definitely, um, different.
Looks kind of like a post-modern pagan fertility rite!
Posted by: Lynna Landstreet | October 25, 2006 at 10:56 AM
By far the most awkward and hilarious minute of footage I've seen in a while. Thank god for the space program!
Posted by: Joshua Smith | October 27, 2006 at 01:39 AM
I think this is the result of NASA scientists with too much time on their hands. and a bottle of scotch.
Posted by: Gino | October 27, 2006 at 02:07 AM
If you actually think about this clip it is really interesting. Its not about the fact that this lady is dancing with the robot. But how she is getting the robot to dance with her. Notice that she is not touching the robot at all. And yet the robot is moving. So further more this peak my interest because that means that a. the robot is pre-programmed to follow a certain movement. b. that the robot is actually being controlled by someone else. or c. The robot is in fact being controlled by the dancer through sensors that it has along its frame.
I am pretty sure though after watching it that is is probally C.
Posted by: bruce | October 27, 2006 at 09:51 AM
I dont get it?? and its made by NASA it is intersting but they shouldnt was there money on this. i just see a lady dacing with a robot whats the point?
Posted by: abby | October 28, 2006 at 05:13 PM
Does the robot seem like a phallic symbol to you?
Posted by: Roeurn | October 29, 2006 at 02:57 AM
This is huge. The dancer is mearely symbolic of any number of potential workers performing any number of tasks. The beauty here is that without any awkward joysticks or controls, the person is able to make the robot perform a task. The point is to show the great level of versatility this control has. This is a big leap forward.
Posted by: Jim | October 29, 2006 at 01:25 PM
really the funniest "breakdown" here is that all those rocket scintists at NASA didn't once associate their robots appearance to that of a... well, hahaah
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