Melting Ice Threatens Penguins

November 10, 2022

On this week's episode: nature inspired drones, melting ice threatens penguins, and a sustainable travel machine!

Drones
Penguins
Sustainable Transport

On this week's news update…

Nature Drones

Nature inspired drones…

Penguin Threat

Melting ice threatens penguins…

Travel Machine

And a sustainable travel machine!

First up…

Constructing buildings can require a lot of machinery and equipment! Now, scientists are taking inspiration from nature to make the building process simpler.

Bees and wasps build their nests using mixtures made from plants, wax, and saliva. Like these insects, drones are also able to fly and hover in mid-air. By equipping drones with a small nozzle, scientists have engineered them to release liquid concrete.

The drones have built small structures by gradually adding layers of concrete on top of each other—much like how bees and wasps build their nests.

Scientists hope the technology could be used on future construction sites. And perhaps even one day, to construct buildings on Mars!

Up next…

emperor penguins

Emperor penguins live across Antarctica.

They are the largest species of penguin, with fully grown adults standing over one meter tall.
Over half a million live along the Antarctic coastline. But the penguins are threatened by habitat loss, with much of the ice they live on melting into the sea.

Rising temperatures, caused by climate change, are causing the ice to melt faster than ever. As the ice melts, penguins have less space to breed. If temperatures continue to rise, and the ice continues to melt, the penguins could become extinct by 2100.

However, if we successfully tackle climate change, we can reduce the amount of ice melting into the sea, helping emperor penguins to survive far into the future!

And finally…

Tech Beat

It's Tech Beat!

Some people like going cycling; others prefer camping; and a few, sailing! Now, designers have created a vehicle that can combine all three: the BeTriton!

BeTriton

The unique looking vehicle can be cycled along like a normal bike, converted into a boat to sail across lakes, and transformed into a cozy shelter to spend the night!

solar panels

Equipped with solar panels and a rechargeable electric battery, the environmentally friendly vehicle allows people to explore nature in a peaceful and sustainable way. With plenty of storage space, the BeTriton can also be used for daily tasks instead of a car.

Would you like to go on a trip with this unique new travel machine!?

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

Teaching Overview

Learning Points

Scientists have taken inspiration from bees and wasps to create drones to aid in construction.
Emperor penguins are under threat from habitat loss caused by climate change.
Designers have created a unique vehicle that can be used for cycling, sailing, and camping!

Curriculum Keywords

Drones
Penguins
Sustainable Transport

Spark a Discussion

Building Drones

How do bees and wasps build their nests?
How could drones help to make constructing buildings simpler?
Besides the drones, can you think of other technology that is inspired by nature?

Penguin Threat

Roughly how many emperor penguins live in Antarctica?
How is climate change threatening emperor penguins' habitat?
How can we help to ensure emperor penguins survive into the future?

Holiday Machine

How is the BeTriton good for the environment?
Do you think vehicles like the BeTriton will ever become widespread in our towns and cities?
If you were going to design a new type of vehicle, what would it be able to do?

Credits

Nature Drones -
Imperial College London
Empa
Yusuf Furkan Kaya
Aerial Robotics Laboratory
Travel Machine - BeTRITON

Discover More About Topics Covered in This Week's Episode

Classroom Resources

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