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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Check out this insane music box powered by 2,000 marbles

The brainchild of Swedish musician Martin Molin, the Wintergartan Marble Machine , is a bizarre music box that allows the user to play tunes using a hand crank and 2,000 steel marbles. The Rube Goldberg'esque contraption features a vibraphone, bass, drums, cymbals and other instruments that play a score programmed into a 32 bar loop comprised of LEGO Technic parts. It's mesmerizing, and you can watch how they built it over here . [h/t: MailOnline ]

Of birds and tats

Larry Bird really doesn't like that mural of him which featured the three-time NBA MVP in a blue Indiana State jersey with tattoos all over his body. "The Great White Hope" is now trying to get it altered, and had his reps reach out to graffiti and street artist Jules Muck to do so. As WISH reports , soon after Jules completed the piece, she was contacted by Larry's lawyer asking her to do something about it, "citing unauthorized promotional value to her brand" and to the six trademarks owned by the 62-year-old former Celtics star. Larry's issue with the artwork was the tarnishing of his image and his 'brand' by affixing tats to his face, arms and neck. Jules meanwhile, said she never intended to offend the basketball legend. The image that inspired the mural came from the November 1977 Sports Illustrated cover story in which Larry was referred to as "College Basketball's Secret Weapon."

Oil paintings that look like watercolors

Julian Meagher is an artist from Sydney who paints watercolor effect with oil. His paintings often revolve around Australian masculinity, juxtaposed by pop-culture references. Julian has an interesting back story. He's been a full-time artist for ten years, but prior to this he worked briefly as a doctor. The first few years was tough for him, and there were times he thought he should have sticked with his original profession. "It still feels weird to say I'm an artist," he told The Sydney Morning Herald . "You say that at a dinner party and you get weird looks. People think being an artist is a romantic, alcohol and passion-filled job. But it's not, and the idea of people seeing my work still scares me." Julian is a twice recipient of the New Work Grant from the Australia Council of the Art and has held solo exhibitions across Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Miami and Los Angeles. Be sure to check out his website for ...

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