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.
While it seems like a new “Earth” is discovered practically every week, a newly discovered planet is causing quite a stir. GJ 1132b, located just 39 light years away, is the first planet with a radius and mass most similar to Earth that hosts an atmosphere. Scientists are very excited because this marks the first time that an atmosphere has been detected around an Earth-like planet other than Earth itself. According to researchers from Keele University, there are no signs of life on GJ 1132b, and the planet is significantly hotter and a little larger than Earth. Click here to learn more about this Earth-like planet!
Besides the library, not many public areas offer visitors a completely silent experience. However, a newly opened art installation in the Guggenheim Museum uses spiky sound absorbers to create an atmosphere of almost total silence. The artwork is called PSAD Synthetic Desert III by Doug Wheeler, an artist known for his experimentation with light and sound. This sound-absorbing art installation is designed to emulate the peacefulness of the Arizona desert, where the artist was raised.
Unlike humans and other animals, koalas rarely drink water. Koalas typically receive plenty of moisture in their diets by eating eucalyptus leaves. However, researchers from the University of Sydney documented an increase in sightings of koalas looking for water. Researchers think the leaves that used to keep koalas hydrated are drying out as the weather gets hotter and drier.