ALGORITHMIC ART
Nature takes advantage of the way that wood responds to its environment. We see this when a pine cone falls from a tree and its scales begin to peel open as it dries out, allowing it to release its seeds. It's a result of the wood's hygroscopicity - its ability to take up and release moisture and the predictable change in shape that it undergoes when this happens.
But such shape-shifting behaviour can also be harnessed by humans. Based on an in-depth understanding of how the moisture content and grain direction of wood affects its shape, German architects programmed this 'climate-responsive' wooden exhibit to open the bud-like structures on its surface in response to rising humidity levels.
The humidity inside its glass housing at the Centre Pompidou art museum in Paris, is tuned to reflect outdoor conditions, so the installation acts as a virtual connection to the city outside.
"The model opens and closes in response to climate changes with absolutely no need for any technical equipment or energy," says Professor Achim Menges, director of the University of Stuttgart's Institute for Computational Design and Construction. "Here, the natural material itself is the machine."
MAGNETIC MANOEUVRES
Stuff that sticks together in a preordained way could help with many self-assembly tasks here on Earth but in space, it could be really useful. As PhD student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Martin Nisser (pictured below, centre), explains, "Applications could range from assembling structures from constituent parts in orbit, to helping with docking manoeuvres, to selectively bonding objects like tools to a spacecraft's interior walls."
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 2023 من BBC Science Focus.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 2023 من BBC Science Focus.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
The theory behind marine cloud brightening is that brighter or whiter clouds reflect more sunlight back into space.
IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
A running streak, where you run every day without taking rest days, can be highly motivating and beneficial for overall fitness. Running is great cardiovascular exercise and isn't to be discouraged (and finding a routine with some consistency is great). Getting a bit of exercise as often as possible is also hugely beneficial for your mental health.
WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
The Mediterranean diet may help you live longer, especially if you also adopt the lifestyle of people living near the Med during the 1950s.
WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
The world's deepest blue hole (marine sinkhole) lies off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's at least 420m (1,378ft) deep, but explorers still haven't found its bottom.
HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by glands in our bodies called the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping the body respond to stress. While essential for our health, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can lead to several issues.
THE LUNGFISH
In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?
