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.
Well, it’s official. After traveling a whopping 540 million miles—a nearly five-year journey—NASA’s Juno spacecraft has officially entered orbit around Jupiter. While Juno isn’t the first spacecraft to get a sneak peek of the largest planet in our solar system, it is the most technologically advanced.
Juno’s advanced instruments will come in handy throughout the probe’s 20-month orbit of the gas giant. The spacecraft’s goals are to reveal the mysterious world lurking beneath Jupiter’s thick cloud layers. How much water is in Jupiter’s atmosphere? Does Jupiter have a core? If so, what is it made of? We can’t wait to see what Juno discovers!
Move over, strings, keys and sticks—everyday objects become extraordinary instruments with Mogees Play, a smart sensor that turns the world around you into an interactive musical interface.
So, how do you use it? Plug Mogees Play into a smartphone, place the sensor on a nearby object and start tapping! Whether you’re rocking out on a book, a bowl or a banana, Mogees Play interprets your movements and transforms them into actions and sounds that appear on-screen.
Wintergatan is a Swedish band known for their innovative instrumentation. No, seriously. They’ve already built a hand-cranked Music Box that uses 2,000 marbles, and they’re back at it again with two brand-new instruments.
The first instrument, a motorized Music Box, uses a paper pulling mechanism to create beautiful music out of punched paper-tape. Part modular synthesizer, part violin, the Modulin produces hauntingly gorgeous harmonies that belie its cobbled-together exterior.
“All Was Well”—Wintergatan’s new song—incorporates these two unique instruments. Watch them in action!