Space Junk Art

On this week's news update…

Space Junk Art

Space junk art…

Whale Sand Scrub

Whales filmed rolling in the sand…

Robot Arms

And wearable robot arms.

First up…

Most space junk is human-made litter that is left in space—and just like on Earth, it's beginning to pile up.

To raise awareness of space junk and the problems it can cause, photographer Max Alexander has produced a new series of artworks. His photographs capture examples of space junk and the damage it causes to our telescopes and satellites that orbit Earth, like this cracked solar panel. To show how big the problem is, he used 250 different photographs of actual space junk to create this one artwork. His images also feature some solutions, like this robotic arm that astronauts can use to remove junk from orbit.

Alexander’s art asks us to think more about how we can reduce the waste that collects in our skies.

Up next…

Humpback whales are some of the biggest and smartest mammals in the ocean. To learn more about them, researchers from Griffith University in Australia attached suction cameras—like this one—to the whales. This provided the researchers with a unique view, and allowed them to capture the whales’ behavior beneath the waves.

They discovered that during long journeys, humpback whales like to roll in the sand. Researchers believe that they do this for two reasons. Firstly, to clean off barnacles and dead skin and secondly, to rest and socialize during their journey. This is the first time this behavior has been caught on camera.

Now, researchers are hoping that these cameras will help them to learn even more about the whales’ underwater life.

And finally…

It’s Tech Beat.

Sometimes we all need a helping hand from technology.

Jizai Arms

Engineers at the University of Tokyo have designed the Jizai Arms—a backpack to which you can attach between one and six robotic arms. The arms are flexible and allow users to perform everyday tasks more efficiently, such as calling an elevator when your hands are full, or holding a sketching board while leaving your hands free to draw. They are operated using a computer or controller, by either the wearer or another person.

With humans and machines working together, the engineers who created the arms are excited to see what the future will hold.

That's all for this week, we'll see you next time!