Written by Xintong Guo, Digital Marketing Intern. Between school, homework, practice and spending time with loved ones, it’s easy to miss out on the latest in science, technology, engineering, art and math. But don’t worry, Thinkery’s got you covered. Here are some of our favorite STEAM discoveries from the previous week. It’s fuel for your weekend.
Have you thought about living on Mars one day? If so, have you ever thought about how you’d eat on the Red Planet? A two-year experiment on the International Space Station (ISS) could provide a few clues! A special species of algae withstood 450 days of heat, cold and cosmic radiation in outer space. This finding could help humans potentially farm on Mars one day, since algae produces two important ingredients for humans to survive—proteins and oxygen.
The National Art Center of Tokyo is celebrating its 10th anniversary with Forest of Numbers, a large-scale paper installation by architect Emmanuelle Moureaux. The breathtaking installation covers the entirety of the museum, which is canopied by 60,000 brightly colored numerals that hang from the ceiling. 60,000! Take a look of this colorful and inspirational installation!
Knock, knock! Who’s there? No, it’s not a joke. One day, a robot could be standing at your door delivering your package! While it seems far-fetched, this seriously might come true soon. Recently, a team of engineers from Oregon State University built a two-legged, or “bipedal,” robot named Cassie. Cassie can stand, steer and fall without breaking! Pretty cool, right?
Robots don’t just deliver packages, they can also gently catch fish! Developed by a team of engineers from MIT, this transparent and gel-based robot has soft and flexible arms and could catch its prey while it’s completely unaware. Is the “softopus” catching fish for fun? No, no. The technology and design behind this soft robot could help researchers create better surgical tools and machines. Good job, robots!