Humans have been exploring the infinite abyss (深渊) beyond Earth’s atmosphere. When astronauts explore the vast expanse of outer space, they need to wear high-tech spacesuits to protect them from the freezing conditions of the universe.

Hollywood movies have idealized the iconic suit, its design leading the masses to believe it’s an outfit that can be slipped on within minutes. In fact, the spacesuit which is made up of nearly a half dozen different components and can have up to 16 layers is its own fully functioning spacecraft that takes hours to put on and requires help from one’s colleagues.

The astronauts on the Artemis missions, NASA’s next program to send the first woman and the first person of color to the moon, will wear the latest spacesuit, called the exploration extravehicular mobility unit, also known as xEMU, according to NASA.

Each spacesuit has a portable life support system, which includes a water tank for the cooling garment and carbon dioxide removal system to regulate body temperature, remove excess heat and maintain the astronauts’ health, said Richard Rhodes, the deputy lead for xEMU pressure garment development at NASA. A two-way radio system is also included so the astronauts can communicate during the missions.

“When the Apollo astronauts walked on the moon, they couldn’t bend over and pick up a rock,” said NASA astronaut Mike Fincke. Fortunately, spacesuits have come a long way since then and have a more flexible structure with gloves. The gloves are one of the most complicated parts of the spacesuit, said Cathleen Lewis, curator of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum. “Gloves are very difficult to design to be protective and also allow the manual dexterity (灵巧) that astronauts need to do meaningful work.” she noted.

The spacesuits will also be getting some upgrades for the latest lunar mission. Richard Rhodes’s team is working on the spacesuit that will allow for more movement to explore the rough terrain of the moon while still being strong enough to protect the wearer.

British scientists seeking to protect the environment have designed a biodegradable mobile phone cover that breaks down in soil when discarded and sprouts (发芽)a flower from a seed put inside the case. Researchers at the University of Warwick in central England said the novel device, made from a specially designed polymer (聚合材料),is a blessing for the environmentalists.

Millions of mobile phones are thrown away every year as the industry produces large quantities of new models without caring about the quality. “It is really original in the phone industry and consumers are happy because they feel they are doing something for the local environment,” said Keny Kirwan from the university of Warwick. Designers have made the hesitant users feel sure that the seed, put into a transparent window, only sprouts when the phone cover is discarded. “We put sunflower seeds into the covers of the samples, but we are working with gardening researchers to identify which other flowers would perform best. Maybe we could put poppies (虞美人)or roses next time,” said Kirwan.

There is a new type of animal that has been walking on the beaches since the 1990s. They are called Strandbeast, which is Dutch language for beach beast. But these beasts are mainly made of plastic tubes and wood. They are creations of a Dutchman Theo Jansen, who designs kinetic sculptures (雕塑). Jansen's creations look alive when they do a steady and smooth motion on the hard sand. They can push themselves forward using nothing more than the power of the wind.   The beauty of these creations is that they have no electronic parts, and yet they have a basic logic system that helps them walk in their habitat.

Jansen's kinetic sculptures use an revolutionary design to change simple motions into amazing works of art. The Strandbeasts have a mechanical linkage (连杆) that creates a walking motion using triangles. The fascinating combination of thin tubes and fine fin—like (鱼鳍般的) sails which flap in the wind create a   striking image. Jansen has even created a way for his beasts to “eat” the air, and store its   power by pressurizing bottles (增压瓶). This stored power also allows for sculptures to recognize when they have entered water and change their direction.

These sculptures are large but have a fine appearance. Besides, Jansen's designs also work with heavier structures. He created a beast, named Animaris Rhinoceros Lignatus, which was made out of wood and weighed 250 kilograms. Every year, he improves his designs. His hope is that one day he will create herds of beasts that can "live" on the beaches and survive without the help of humans.

Kinetic art isn't just about making large sculptures move. There are many artists that use motion to create amazing visual effects. Some are large pieces, but many can sit on a desk or hang on a wall. However, they all have one thing in common: you can't appreciate their artistry until you see them move. Jansen also sells mini versions of some of his beasts. They come in kits (成套零件) that you can fit them together without any special tools. You, too, can try your hand at creating kinetic art!