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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on January 2, 2017 in an Internet post: \"NASA will pay you $18,000 to stay in bed and smoke weed for 70 straight days.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"pants- fire\\"](\\" * Fake news * PunditFact * Bloggers ![\\"Joshua](\\" By Joshua Gillin May 24, 2017 # Persistent story about NASA paying people $18,000 to lie in bed and smoke ganja is fake An online story that claimed NASA pays people thousands to smoke marijuana in bed for months is actually a viral legend that has been in orbit for quite awhile now. \"NASA will pay you $18,000 to stay in bed and smoke weed for 70 straight days,\" read the headline on a Jan. 2, 2017, post on TheSolExchange.com, a blog that is largely concerned with the latest developments in athletic sneakers. Judging by the number of commenters asking to be signed up, there also is an audience for marijuana studies. Facebook users flagged this post as possibly being fabricated, as part of the site’s efforts to fight fake news in users’ social media feeds. \"NASA has put out an ad looking for people who’re willing to take part in their ‘Rest Studies’ – a study which will require participant to spend 70 straight days in bed, relaxing and smoking different types of cannabis, for which they will receive a salary of 18.000 USD,\" the post read. \"During the relaxation period participants are allowed to read books, play games, Skype and smoke weed. They can do whatever they want as long as it involves staying in bed, week after week, earning a cool 1200 USD per week.\" There are more details on the post, but you get the gist. We found versions of the same story on several other blogs going back to at least March 2016, all claiming NASA is doling out the big bucks for people who want to lounge all day and spark up. Pretty good hustle, right? Except it’s not true. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on September 3, 2024 in an Instagram post “Kamala Harris said she will shut down X if elected.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • September 5, 2024 Well, it’s true that NASA does perform bed rest studies. The goal is to examine the potential effects of weightlessness on astronauts, and lying in bed with your head tilted down at a six-degree angle is apparently a fair substitute. The studies sound pretty much as described at TheSolExchange.com — except for the cannabis part. Several media outlets like the Houston Chronicle, Forbes, Vice and CBS News have written in the past about the studies, which involve people getting paid something on the order of $1,200 per week for 15 weeks (that’s $18,000) to hang out in bed. But it’s not all that great of a time, from the sound of it. Boredom is a constant problem, as every moment of a volunteer’s life is spent in bed for that time. Scientists continually poke and prod them, taking readings and measurements on everything from weight to bone density. Volunteers are told when and what to eat, and have to do everything in bed. That means eating, exercising, showering and even, yes, using the facilities while lying down. A NASA spokesman told us that there have not been any sleep studies that involved consuming cannabis. There also aren’t any more sleep studies currently planned, so it’s not like NASA is suddenly going to try it the next time. Blog posts that have been saying that NASA is paying subjects $18,000 to lie in bed and smoke marijuana for 70 days are pretty far out. The only lighting up we see here is when we rate this Pants On Fire! Share the Facts 2017-05-24 14:10:28 UTC PolitiFact ![\\"PolitiFact\\"](\\" logo-big.jpg\\"/) 6 1 7 ![\\"PolitiFact](\\" facts/rating_images/politifact/tom-pof.png\\") PolitiFact Rating: Pants on Fire \"NASA will pay you $18,000 to stay in bed and smoke weed for 70 straight days.\" Internet rumors bloggers ![](\\" in Internet posts Monday, January 2, 2017 2017-01-02 Read More info #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources TheSolExchange.com, \"NASA Will Pay You $18,000 To Stay In Bed And Smoke Weed For 70 Straight Days,\" Jan. 2, 2017 Forbes, \"NASA Will Pay $18,000 To Watch You Rest In Bed — Really,\" Sept. 18, 2013 Houston Chronicle, \"NASA needs volunteers to stay in bed for 15 weeks straight,\" Sept. 18, 2013 CBS News, \"Need some time off your feet? NASA paying volunteers $18K to lie in bed for 70 days,\" Sept. 22, 2013 Vice, \"NASA Is Paying Me $18,000 to Lie in Bed for Three Months,\" Nov. 3, 2014 NASA.gov, \"Analog missions: Bed rest FAQs,\" accessed May 23, 2017 Interview with William Jeffs, NASA spokesman, May 23, 2017 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Joshua Gillin slide 4 to 6 of 15 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on October 9, 2017 in Internet posts: A viral image shows LeBron James wearing a T-shirt that reads, \"We march, y’all mad. We sit down, y’all mad. We speak up, y’all mad. We die, y’all silent.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Joshua Gillin • October 12, 2017 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on October 9, 2017 in a headline: \"President Trump signs executive order stripping NFL of ‘non-profit’ status.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 10, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") AsAmericanAsApplePie.org stated on October 8, 2017 in a headline: \"Jason Aldean gig canceled after he sells out to liberals on ‘SNL’.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 10, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") FreedomJunkshun.com stated on November 6, 2017 in a headline: \"Supreme Court issues its first bench warrant ever.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Susan Areson • November 9, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") React365.com stated on November 7, 2017 in an Internet post: Says the University of Florida \"requests to cancel rivalry game\" against Florida State University. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • November 7, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") YourNewsWire.com stated on November 5, 2017 in an Internet post: \"Texas Church shooter was Antifa and wanted to start (a) ‘communist revolution.’ \" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • November 6, 2017 ![](\\" ![](\\" Sebastian Gorka stated on November 1, 2017 in an appearance on \'Hannity\': Says Jake Tapper said Allahu Akbar was a \"beautiful phrase\" after a terrorist attack in New York. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • November 2, 2017 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on October 6, 2017 in Internet posts: \"California Democrat Maxine Waters charged on 3 counts.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • November 2, 2017 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on October 29, 2017 in Internet posts: Says actor Morgan Freeman said, \"Jailing Hillary\" is the best way to \"restore public faith in government.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • November 1, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") FreedomJunkshun.com stated on October 28, 2017 in a headline: \"Hillary Clinton leaves the country as Mueller indictment is announced.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 31, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") FreedomJunkshun.com stated on October 27, 2017 in a headline: \"Breitbart leaks names of four Dems being charged in Mueller’s Russia probe.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 31, 2017 ![](\\" michaelmoore/d10e6fe97230119369c8f19eb11ae6a3.jpg\\") ![](\\" michaelmoore/24d3cd2ad61b2369eb03420edf082419.jpg\\") Michael Moore stated on October 4, 2017 in a Facebook post: \"People who die from a home invasion make up a sad but minuscule .04% of all gun murders in the U.S. And over a third of them are killed by their own gun that the criminal has either stolen or wrestled from them.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 25, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") React365.com stated on October 23, 2017 in a headline: \"Tulsa school closes after brutal fire.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 23, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") AsAmericanAsApplePie.org stated on October 16, 2017 in a headline: \"Hillary (Clinton) caught on tape laughing about (Hurricane) Irma ‘wiping out all of those Florida hillbillies’.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 18, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") AsAmericanAsApplePie.org stated on October 15, 2017 in a headline: \"San Juan city council votes unanimously to impeach Trump-hating mayor.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 17, 2017 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on October 9, 2017 in Internet posts: A viral image shows LeBron James wearing a T-shirt that reads, \"We march, y’all mad. We sit down, y’all mad. We speak up, y’all mad. We die, y’all silent.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Joshua Gillin • October 12, 2017 ![](\\" ![](\\" Bloggers stated on October 9, 2017 in a headline: \"President Trump signs executive order stripping NFL of ‘non-profit’ status.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 10, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") AsAmericanAsApplePie.org stated on October 8, 2017 in a headline: \"Jason Aldean gig canceled after he sells out to liberals on ‘SNL’.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • October 10, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") FreedomJunkshun.com stated on November 6, 2017 in a headline: \"Supreme Court issues its first bench warrant ever.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Susan Areson • November 9, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") React365.com stated on November 7, 2017 in an Internet post: Says the University of Florida \"requests to cancel rivalry game\" against Florida State University. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • November 7, 2017 ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/98605b4996e42408507987c4affd735f.jpg\\") ![](\\" mugs-mug- independentgroup__________________3/d34069b2fffce57ddf492536b7c1e859.jpg\\") YourNewsWire.com stated on November 5, 2017 in an Internet post: \"Texas Church shooter was Antifa and wanted to start (a) ‘communist revolution.’ \" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Joshua Gillin • November 6, 2017 ### Persistent story about NASA paying people $18,000 to lie in bed and smoke ganja is fake * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 27, 2024 in a video: Shows video of damage from Hurricane Helene. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • September 28, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" TikTok posts stated on September 22, 2024 in una publicación enTikTok: En el sur de Filadelfia, la campaña de Kamala Harris “está pagando a la gente $700 por semana para viajar y asistir a todos sus eventos”. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Maria Briceño • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 25, 2024 in an Instagram post: Hurricane Helene was the product of intentional weather modification. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 25, 2024 in a post: Video shows footage of Hurricane Helene ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Vote No on 3 stated on September 7, 2024 in a TV ad: Florida’s Amendment 3 is “the monopoly amendment.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Samantha Putterman • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Jared Moskowitz stated on September 19, 2024 in una audiencia en la Cámara de Representantes: “El Proyecto 2025 quiere deshacerse de la NOAA” y del Servicio Nacional de Meteorología. ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Maria Briceño • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 24, 2024 in social media posts: Vice President Kamala Harris responded, “Next question please,” when asked about the economy during an Aug. 29 CNN interview. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Threads posts stated on September 18, 2024 in a Threads post: Melania Trump “was an escort.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 23, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Serena Williams reportedly passes away following tragic car crash in Texas.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 27, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 25, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Elon Musk silences Taylor Swift: Shocking ban wipes out 1 million followers and costs her a staggering $72 million!” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 27, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. 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NASA will pay you 18000 to stay in bed and smoke weed for 70 straight days