Makin' a splash

Good morning Staker! Here’s what’s cookin’ today. Heating oil costs to rise over 30%; NASA making laundry gun for space; and the real reason dogs’ legs go bananas when you scratch them.

Let’s get into it!

The only guns most people think of in the context of outer space are usually found in a galaxy far, far away.

The one NASA is building is for laundry, and will use plasma instead of water for use just a few hundred miles away when astronauts do laundry on the International Space Station.

The question many are asking, however, is will this laundry gun ever be useable right here at home?

The device is a handheld contraption that fires cold plasma at soft fabrics like clothing and bedding, and is designed to perfectly sanitize them in an environment that’s supposed to remain as sterile as possible. Minor germs that live all over clothes and bedsheets on earth could be critically threatening to the health of astronauts.

Plasma can help with that, but more importantly, it can help astronauts conserve water, a resource not easily accessible in space beyond the rations brought there by the crew.

While it could be extremely effective in out-of-this-world settings, it probably wouldn’t serve much of a purpose at home.

“It could also be used to sterilize space suits and tools before they leave the habitat and step foot on Mars,” Xu said in the university’s release. “To be clear, though, this won’t remove coffee or grass stains (though we haven’t tried that). So, it won’t make your clothes less dirty, just remove bacteria.”

Champagne makers are likely going to be putting out a product this year that packs a bigger punch—one that typically makes it too strong to be considered Champagne.

While the National Origin and Quality Institute typically imposes strict requirements that Champagne houses keep their alcohol content at a maximum of 13%, it’s provided a one-time exemption this year because of a record heatwave in France that will necessitate alcohol content of 14% or 15%.

Climate change is the ultimate culprit behind this exemption, but experts are preparing buyers for the possibility that it could eventually be here to stay.

"This unusual harvest will probably become the norm in 10 to 15 years", said Maxime Toubart, the co-chairman of the Comite Champagne. He said it “should prompt reflection on the champagne of tomorrow.”

Those with a longstanding foot in the Champagne-making industry aren’t particularly pleased, even if drinkers might welcome the extra bite.

“It undermines the image of champagne,” said Didier Gimonnet, a third-generation producer in Cuis. “The idea of champagne at 14% or 15% will put a lot of people off.

“The vast majority of champagne makers will solve the problem by blending grapes from different years to bring it down. Champagne is always an assemblage—a blend—and an intelligent, balanced combination will sort this out.”

The haywire leg kick dogs display when scratched by their owner is one of the cutest displays of puppy behavior, but it’s not actually as enjoyable as it may look for the little guy.

Think of it more like what happens when you go to the doctor and he or she taps your knee in that spot that makes your leg kick up involuntarily.

The difference is that when scratching a dog in the spot that produces this response, it’s as if the doctor is hitting your knee in rapid succession dozens of times.

“It’s an annoyance,” said Nancy Thomas, DVM, a veterinarian with Telavets, an online veterinary expert consultation service. “It doesn’t do any good to continue doing it. The spinal cord is trying to say ‘get off of me.’”

It’s called the pruritic scratch reflex, and it’s like an evolutionary safety mechanism that allows dogs to shake off pests like fleas, ticks, burrs, or mites that may be trying to dig into their skin.

The same type of reflex exists for threats to humans, like when you put your hand on a hot stove. Your immediate reaction is to pull it away—so immediate, because the signal is sent even before the sensation makes its way to the brain for instructions.

While not painful for dogs, the longer it lasts, the more annoying it probably gets.

The brothers Gallagher continued their fairytale reunion yesterday, with Oasis announcing the full schedule of their highly-anticipated 2027 tour to follow up last year’s record-setting comeback.

Yesterday’s announcement revealed the meaning behind a series of clues the band posted on social media over the last two weeks.

They’ll visit Celtic Park in Glasgow for five nights in late May, followed by an 11-date residency at Etihad Stadium, the home of Manchester City FC, of which Liam and Noel are devout fans.

Oasis will play Allianz Arena in Munich on July 3, then respectively play the Friday and Saturday of each remaining weekend in July in Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, and Rome.

The only North American dates will be three shows at each of Gillette Stadium in Boston (Aug 10, 13, 14), and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (Aug 20, 21, 24).

They’ll then travel back to Europe for two shows at the legendary Slane Castle in Ireland, before returning to Knebworth Park on Sept. 11, 12, 18, and 19, where they drew 250,000 fans over two nights in Aug. 1996.

Whether you’re a Staker who fancies a bit of Wonderwall yourself, or the parent of a Millennial whose Oasis obsessions have taken over in recent years, Britain’s biggest band of the ‘90s is back in the mix for at least one more summer.

Ticket registration is available here.

Don’t touch that dial!

If you wanted a sketch comedy show back in the day where every sketch just hit, SCTV was your ticket. Find out how well you remember the classic characters and shenanigans from the show with today’s trivia 😂