Tampons are something that men tend not to understand. What exactly do they do? How do they work? How many do you need? Why are they so damn expensive? (Actually, if anyone figures that out, please let me know because I'm confused too.) Plus, there tends to be a taboo around tampons and periods, so guys learn even less.

However, I've recently noticed that there has been some press around men interacting with tampons, whether they understand them or not, and I think that the articles can be both incredible and hilarious depending on what happens. Here are a few of my favorites.

1. NASA tried to send 100 tampons with the first woman in space for a 7-day trip.

This is actually the article that sparked my interest in the subject. Many people have already heard about this, but I still can't get over the fact that the men at NASA really just did not understand the mechanics of tampons. They said that they wanted to "be safe." This article has a hilarious list of questions around being safe, all of which made me laugh. What did they want to be safe from? Didn't they realize that 100 tampons in seven days would be a huge issue in terms of health? She would have lost so much blood! Maybe the NASA men were hoping to never have to talk about menstruation at work again.

2. On the other hand, this man carries around extra tampons to help out his female friends in need.

We need more guys like him in the world. This really shows that, at least in some ways, the taboo around periods is a little less than it was in the '80s. He brings up some good points. For example, people go out of their ways to have guest rooms for when they want people to stay over. I know that, in my family, we even make a point to have things like extra shampoo and toothbrushes in the bathroom, just in case. What about tampons, then? Like he says, nearly half of the world needs them, so why not keep them on hand? He even goes so far as to keep a handful with him all of the time, just so that he can help out his friends. Basically, I want him to be my new BFF.

3. If men needed to use tampons, the commercials would be a lot more intense.

We would also hear a lot more about tampons in general, but that's another story. In this ad for "Manpons," the world of advertisements for male products is showcased to its fullest and the differences between it and a normal tampon commercial are striking. You see a lot more of the product than you normally would in a tampon commercial. Normally it's just implied what the tampon is and is used for. Plus, there is a lot more about the construction of the tampon than usual. As it turns out, the ad was made by a non-profit group working to give more women in poor countries access to toilets during their periods and I think that the entire idea was fantastic (and really funny).

4. Finally, tampons can be a great survival tool.

I don't know about you, but, after reading this, I'm going to start making sure that I have tampons on me at all times. This article details ten different survival uses for a tampon and they range from water filters to fishing lures. It's a product that I can use for my period and to help me survive in the wild! Seriously, count me in.