Where to stay on Mars? Robots could weave bamboo pods on the red planet

Figuring out how astronauts could live comfortably on Mars is a great challenge. They'll either need to bring materials with them, or make use of the planet's terrain to build settlements. 3D printing seems to be the practical solution, but Malaysian designers Warith Zaki and Amir Amzar think they have a better alternative: locally grown bamboo.

The idea seems far-fetched, but why not? Bamboo has been utilized by humans for centuries. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio and can withstand Mars' harsh weather conditions. According to experts, the plant is very likely to thrive on the red planet because CO 2 in its atmosphere is abundant.

So, how can we build a bamboo colony on Mars? As Dezeen points out, the concept, named Seed of Life, would require astronauts to land and find underground frozen ice for water. Once ice is found, a self-deploying ETFE structure containing bamboo shoots would be sent. After that, a drill would break into the ice and supply the plants with water.

Fully grown bamboo would be removed from the growth chamber, cut, and weaved around the ETFE structure by robots. Finally, the plants would be pumped with water, which would freeze under Mars' extreme temperature, to provide a second layer of protection against radiation.

What do you think of this concept? Is it convincing?

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The Adorable Sculptures of Yen Yen Lo

These images are from a series of wall sculptures created by Yen Yen Lo . Here you can see her intricately textured ceramic pieces, looking downright adorable. Yen Yen Lo's eye for the unique and whimsical is delightful. Apparently they are not intended for kids under 16. Fifteen-year-olds cannot be trusted with fragile stuff. Get them a Funko Pop instead.

Good things come in small boxes

Here's a tip: If you lose your child at The Museum of Modern Art, try the MoMa Design Store , where he's likely roaming around and looking for some cool toys. Among the things worth buying is this Science Experiment Toolbox, which contains everything kids as young as four need to conduct over 6 exciting experiments. Made of durable plastic and eco-friendly wood parts, budding engineers, inventors, and problem-solvers will be fascinated by this set. There's a bell ringer, a zoetrope, a waving hand, a climbing frog and a crane to help them learn logical concepts such energy transfer, momentum and gravity. I would have loved this as a kid.

How sculptor Ptolemy Elrington turns old hubcaps into works of art

One British artist has found treasure in the junk that some people throw away and, using his creativity and resourcefulness, turns it into metal masterpieces. Ptolemy Elrington, who is currently based in Brighton, England, takes abandoned hubcaps and repurposes them into spectacular animal sculptures using hand tools and wire. Ptolemy specializes in wheel trims, but any piece of discarded metal scrap is a potential art masterpiece in his eyes. His creations can take anything from a single day to three months, such as the ten-meter long dragon he built from 200 hubcaps, which sold for £3,000. Check out the video, embedded below, and his website for more. [h/t: FREEYORK ]

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