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During the day NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California builds robots fit for space, but after hours they put their brainpower together for something a bit more rudimentary - pumpkin carving.
Yes, for the past seven years during the Halloween season these brainiacs have competed in an 'unofficial' jack-o-lantern carving contest, which NASA mechanical engineer Mike Meacham said gives them a chance to let out some creativity and bond. "I don't think, even at the time, they appreciated just how seriously our engineers were going to take it," he said about the first Halloween pumpkin contest - and the evidence is clear. From a guitar player to Charlie Brown on mars, these pumpkin ideas were out of this world.
The only limits were their imaginations, with three simple rules: no planning, carving or competing during work hours. "They do their funny pumpkin carvings in their own time," said Meacham, who's co-running the competition this year. "They go home, use their own resources, plan it out, and all we give them is a pumpkin."
While there is no prize (other than bragging rights) these competitors brought their carving game to another universe. To see these elaborate jack-o-lantern faces scroll down below! Official voting for the competition may be over, but you can still vote for your favorite pumpkin with us!
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