ASTRONAUTS CAN CRY in space but their tears won’t fall, they can brush their teeth but they don’t spit out the paste, they eat (relatively) normal food but can’t taste much and velcro is their most indispensable material.

Not since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon have ‘ordinary people’ been so in tune with what is going on in the other-worldly realm of space exploration.

But in the past six months, one man has made the work of countless scientists, engineers and astronauts more relevant than it has been in decades for those with their feet well-grounded on Earth.

Commander Chris Hadfield’s use of social media to show us stunning photographs of where we live and provide us with informative videos about living in space have resonated with citizens across the globe.

Not only has he entertained, he has also educated. So, what have we learned from the charismatic and moustachioed Canadian commander of the International Space Station? A lot, is what. We’ve been cramming:

Can you well up, up there?

You can cry, but your tears won’t fall:

Where do you spit out your toothpaste?

You don’t. Commander Hadfield even gave us dentistry tips from space:

But seriously, how does he maintain that immaculate moustache?

Surprisingly, it’s just a normal razor and normal procedure. We’re not sure if he’s joking about the vacuum cleaner here:

What does one eat in space?

Well, coffee and cake goes down a treat:

What happens to our five senses?

In a five-part series, Commander Hadfield explains what happens to the crew’s sense of smell, eyesight, hearing, touch and taste.

Space doesn’t smell like a “spring garden”:

Vision can become blurred, maybe because of extra fluid:

Spicy food is king in space:

Don’t bother screaming in space:

A divided foot?

And finally, can you catch some z’s in space?

Column: Chris Hadfield is inspiring a new generation of astronauts