Solid rocket propellant is *typically* made by mixing liquid rubber with ammonium perchlorate (a dry, salt-like powder and an oxidizer) and powdered aluminum (the fuel). Small amounts of other materials (cyanoacrylates, iron oxide, etc.) can be added to give the propellant different properties. But regardless of the specific mix, the trick is the actual mixing process. Generally propellant mixers look like giant versions of kitchen mixers, and operate in the exact same way as the machine you might use to turn water and flour into bread dough. But here’s the thing: if something goes wrong while you mix the dough and *somehow* the mixing blades strike the side of the bowl, the likelihood of it thing blowing up your house are minimal. The forces and energies involved in mixing propellant has several times resulted in facilities blowing up or burning down. Failures have resulted from sparks, scrapes, foreign objects being banged between blade and bowl. In short, metal parts, electrical systems and moving parts are a little dangerous when mixing propellant.

Enter the Japanese. Specifically, enter Japanese WTFery.

Watch This Robotic Intestine Puke Rocket Fuel

Instead of a metal kitchen mixer, this device is a pneumatic “artificial intestine” that mixes things much more gently, and in a continuous process. With a standard mixer, you pour in a batch of materials, mix, then pour. This system could in principle be constantly fed materials, producing an unending stream of mixed goop. It has the safety advantage of having no moving mechanical metal components in contact with the ingredients, just a constantly flexing rubber tube.

Note, though, that the headline isn’t exactly right. Intestines do indeed move… uhhh, stuff… through peristaltic pumping. But the end process isn’t to “puke” it. It goes out the *other* end.

The thing seems to work. But being Japanese, I’m a little surprised that it doesn’t involve tentacles. Give it time, I suppose.