This week, we learned how a $200 adult security blanket perfected a formula most startups struggle with, what it really takes to hire and keep great developers, and the skills required for NASAs futureastronauts class.

These are the stories you loved in leadership for the week of June 5:

Two hundred dollars might seem like a lot to pay for a blanket, but thats what Gravity, the self-described blanket for sleep, stress, and anxiety plansto charge its customers.The product recently raked in over $4.7 million in Kickstarter funding. How?According to BrianScordato, who heads an accelerator for early-stage founders, Gravity successfully got customers excited about an idea nobodys ever heard of. Thats something lots of startups fail at, and this week Scordato shared why.

In todays tech-centric workforce, its more crucial than ever for businesses to hire and retain talented programmers. Yet outside of Silicon Valley, theyre often treated like glorified typists, according to Stack Overflow COO JeffSzczepanski. This week he shared what steps companies can take to improve that state of affairs and make sure the best developers stick around for longer.

Is aliberal arts degree usefulin the modern job market or a waste of money? For three liberal arts graduates, it led to positions at a company that isntknown for hiring art history or English majorsMicrosoft. From developing communications for social chatbots to translating complicated AI concepts into simpler language, heres how those new hiresare using theirhumanities trainingin the tech world.

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From Adult Security Blankets To NASA's New Astronauts: This Week's Top Leadership Stories - Fast Company