# We can land a spacecraft on a comet, but we can't... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 16, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807 "2014-11-16T21:44:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/1 "2014-11-16T21:44:59Z")
So what _can’t_ we do that would _seem_ easier than landing on a comet? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/2 "2014-11-16T21:47:05Z")
Dress the way we feel like it and not cry because some people don’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/3 "2014-11-16T21:55:42Z")
Have secure debit-card transactions with major retailers. Looking at you, Home Depot and Target. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/4 "2014-11-17T03:04:09Z")
[Where’s my flying car?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740754) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/5 "2014-11-17T03:13:12Z")
We can land a spacecraft on a comet, but we can’t… land one on the Moon. Well, we did. Numerous times. But I don’t think I’ll live long enough to see us go back. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/6 "2014-11-17T03:25:36Z")
Make toast that doesn’t land jelly side down when dropped on the floor. Make a pill bottle that deposits exactly two pills when tipped on to your hand. Can’t make cat proof furniture. (I’m serious about that one dammit!) ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/7 "2014-11-17T04:14:17Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Can’t make cat proof furniture. (I’m serious about that one dammit!) Don’t keep cats inside. Done! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/8 "2014-11-17T04:18:45Z")
This is going to sound like “World peace”, but seriously, feed everyone. Or even within the US, the US could feed everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/9 "2014-11-17T04:21:40Z")
We can land a spacecraft on a comet, but we can’t make a motorcycle helmet that blocks wind noise. It’s ridiculous to have to wear earplugs along with this big plastic bucket. It shouldn’t be that technologically difficult. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/10 "2014-11-17T05:46:31Z")
… train a cat to make a pot of coffee in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/11 "2014-11-17T11:39:18Z")
…Build a coffee maker that doesn’t make noises like a baby elephant with a runny nose. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/12 "2014-11-17T12:11:45Z")
…stop it from bouncing around until it falls into a dark ditch. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/13 "2014-11-17T13:11:40Z")
…get Congress to understand science. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/14 "2014-11-17T13:24:59Z")
… stop hating people who don’t have any effect on our lives. ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/15 "2014-11-17T13:32:50Z")
Toast a slice of bread without pushing it down twice and or standing there the entire time to ensure it does not burn. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/16 "2014-11-17T14:05:10Z")
My rice cooker has a power on light, but no “off” setting. If it’s plugged in, it’s on. My slow cooker has an off setting, but no power on light. If it’s on, I can’t tell from across the room. These two manufacturers _really_ need to compare notes. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/17 "2014-11-17T14:28:25Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > … train a cat to make a pot of coffee in the morning. They can do it. They just don’t _want_ to. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/18 "2014-11-17T14:35:07Z")
but it will take three days for your funds to clear. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/19 "2014-11-17T14:47:44Z")
. . . get people to stop talking about Kim Kardashian’s naked ass? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807/20 "2014-11-17T14:51:15Z")
Eradicate the common cold. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-can-land-a-spacecraft-on-a-comet-but-we-cant/704807.md?page=2)