Once you've performed your systems check, goofed around with a ball of floating water and ­tried to go to the loo with some gravity-free dignity, what else is there to do when you're orbiting the earth in the international space station? Soichi Noguchi, a Japanese aeronautical engineer who has been in orbit since December, is entertaining his 50,000 followers with Twitpics sent from space. He's tweeted (@Astro_Soichi) some extraordinary snaps, including this one of the Golden Gate Bridge. He also describes life on board the space ­station: "De-gassing of the portable water bags complete. Now, on to the treadmill!"