The futuristic Lunark habitat is designed to provide future space travelers with a comfortable home (Credit SAGA Space Architects)
NASA s Artemis program not only hopes to land the next man and the first woman on the lunar south pole by 2024; it also expects them to spend up to seven days in the inhospitable environment, collecting samples and conducting experiments. To provide the pioneering scientists and future space travelers with a comfortable shelter, two enterprising Dutch architects have built a habitat capable of withstanding the Moon s harsh conditions.
The origami-inspired Lunark, designed by Sebastian Aristotelis and Karl-Johan Sørensen of SAGA Space Architects, comprises a sturdy, but lightweight, aluminum frame that can be efficiently compressed for transport to the Moon. Once the astronauts reach their destination, they can easily unfold the 607-cubic-foot mobile home, which is fitted with a bathroom, living quarters with built-in desks and shelving, and two so
MLK Day has been designated as a national day of service (Credit: Points of light.org)
Celebrated annually on the third Monday of January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors the life and legacy of one of the most influential leaders of the American civil rights movement. Designated a national day of service by the US Congress, the federal holiday encourages citizens to help realize the Baptist minister s vision of a “beloved community” by bridging racial and ethnic barriers, addressing social issues, and volunteering to improve their communities.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) grew up in a world where black and white people led disparate lives. They dined at different restaurants, attended different schools, and even sat separately in specially marked areas when traveling on buses and trains. The young boy believed segregation was a way of life across the country until he went to work in the tobacco fields of Hartford, Connecticut, i
Cher helped rescue Kaavan, a 36-year-old elephant, from a zoo in Pakistan (Credit: Friends of Islamabad Zoo/Facebook)
The cameraman zooms in on the anxious elephant, who paces back and forth. However, the pachyderm s demeanor instantly calms down upon hearing a soothing ballad from Disney’s Cinderella, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes, sung to him by none other than American singer and actress Cher. The now-viral poignant video, published on YouTube on November 30, 2020, was the culmination of the pop singer and animal activist s four-year-long quest to save Kaavan, “The world s loneliest elephant.
Kaavan was just a year old when Sri Lankan officials gifted him to Pakistan in 1985. The now 36-year-old Asian elephant spent a large part of the next three decades shackled in chains in a confined space at the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. He was only brought out periodically to entertain zoo visitors by raising his trunk as a begging bowl when his mahout prodded
WestJet s 2020 Christmas Miracle hopes to inspire others to donate to people in need (Credit: WestJet.com)
Canada s WestJet Airlines is famous for its annual Christmas Miracle videos. In the past, the heartwarming footage has shown the airline s employees surprising a few, unsuspecting families with extravagant gifts, ranging from iPods to vacations to diamond rings. While the 2020 Christmas Miracle did not involve any fancy presents, it is equally uplifting and much more far-reaching.
The poignant video shows employees creating care packages with essentials like blankets, personal protective equipment, food and hot meals, as well as gifts for seniors and children, and loading them onto aircraft and delivery vehicles. Upon reaching their respective destinations, WestJetters, donned in the company s iconic blue Santa hats, deliver the carefully wrapped boxes to charities, healthcare facilities, and frontline workers to share the holiday spirit. The company hopes this year