Well, this is a subset of the things the military has given us. It has also given us duct tape, for example. And NASA gave us velcro. The common theme here,

Well, this is a subset of the things the military has given us. It has also given us duct tape, for example. And NASA gave us velcro. The common theme here, it seems to me, is that when people are working in hostile environments for high stakes, problems which are normally easy, such as preparing and storing food, fixing leaks, or keeping things put, can become insurmountable barriers which warrant a great deal of ingenuity and investment. The solutions found in those contexts can apply to the rest of us and make the problem easier. So I would expect, for example, long range spaceflight to yield medical advances in self-diagnosis and treatment.