Even the International Space Station's astronauts are blowing off work to watch the World Cup

Even the International Space Station's astronauts are blowing off work to watch the World Cup

As if sporting rivalries stop at the edges of Earth's atmosphere.

NASA's Reid Wiseman and Steve Swanson, along with German astronaut Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, decided a friendly wager would really send today's World Cup game between the two countries out of this world.

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The astronauts kept an eye on the score via a jerry-rigged laptop (check it out, below). It's basically what you're doing at work, except, you know, without gravity.

UPDATE: While the U.S. lost to Germany, 1-0, the Americans still advance thanks to Portugal's victory over Ghana. Wiseman and Swanson can consider that the upside if Gerst decides to collect on his bet and busts out the clippers.

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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.