Last year, Nickelodeon sent a package of its famous green slime to the International Space Station orbiting Earth. The goo was sent in a package labelled 'Slime Bag' aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo craft back in July.

Good news; the slime has finally arrived, and the kid's television network just released the footage of astronauts onboard the station having the time of their lives while enjoying the goo.

The motive wasn't all for fun and games, but the astronauts were also tasked to perform a series of experiments with the slime to test its microgravity in space. The analysis entitled 'Non-Newtonian Fluids in Microgravity' was also meant to promote science to the younger generation.

European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano and Christina Koch from NASA released the slime about the ship to see how the concoction would change in microgravity.

During the experiment, the astronauts spun the slime in the air, ejected it from a syringe, played ping pong with the goo, pricked it with a pin, and even slimed each other.

According to Koch, experiments such as the slime observation cannot be replicated on Earth since zero gravity is a prerequisite to observe such behavior.

The filming of the video was completed in 2019, and both Koch and Parmitano have since returned to Earth. Both landed on the ground on February 5 in Kazakhstan at 4:12 A.M. estimated time.

Koch came home with a record of completing the first all-female spacewalk. She performed the spacewalk with her colleague and longtime friend Jessica Meir in January.

What is a Non-Newtonian Fluid?

The ISS US National Laboratory explained that a non-Newtonian fluid is a material in which its viscosity changes based on the amount of shear stress applied to it. In simpler terms, non-Newtonian fluids are solid if you apply a sudden force to it and liquid if you use a steady, slow force.

Examples of the fluid include toothpaste, shampoo, honey, custard, corn starch, paint, blood, melted butter, and starch suspensions.

What makes non-Newtonian fluids unique is viscosity. Viscosity is the rate at which fluid flows. Ordinary fluids, like water, have a consistent viscosity, so they flow the same no matter what force you apply.

In Non-Newtonian fluids, viscosity can alter. If you apply a sudden force, the viscosity will rapidly increase, forming a semisolid surface.

The Fascination with Slime

Slime products have increased in popularity in the last year. Thanks to its fascinating appearance and squishy texture, it's now a favorite toy for children and adults alike.

The slime of today is far gooier and more decorated than that green liquid on Nickelodeon. More than 5 million posts on Instagram are tagged with #slime, showing brightly colored goo filled with glitter and shades of all sorts.

Slime has become so popular that the American Chemical Society recently published a fact sheet about the substance, including a detailed scientific explanation on how to make the gunk.

Slime is the fancier cousin of Play-Doh or putty and has exploded as an interest for many. The obsession with slime becomes apparent as shops sell out of ingredients, YouTube tutorials are watched by millions, books about it are published, and venues are being booked for "slime parties".