Gallery: Step Inside NASA's Giant Seashell to Hear Satellites in Orbit

  • Image may contain Sphere and Slate
    NASAJPL
    01

    PHOTO 3-Orbit Pavilion Aerial1-photo by NASAJPL

    The NASA Orbit Pavilion lets visitors listen to the orbit of the ISS and NASA's 19 Earth-orbiting satellites.
  • Image may contain Human Person Architecture Building Window Office Building and Skylight
    NASAJPL
    02

    PHOTO 11-Orbit Pavilion-Interior3-photo by NASAJPL

    The aluminum pavilion is outfitted with 30 speakers that are geolocated to certain satellites.
  • Image may contain Human Person Sphere Building Banister Handrail Lighting City Town Urban and Metropolis
    Chuck Choi
    03

    PHOTO 7-Orbit Pavilion-Entry1-photo by Chuck Choi

    It's made from 72 curved aluminum panels that were stitched together.
  • Image may contain Human Person Building Architecture Office Building Banister Handrail and Convention Center
    Chuck Choi
    04

    PHOTO 8-Orbit Pavilion-Entry2-photo by Chuck Choi

    The perforations in the panels ensure that the sound doesn't get garbled.
  • Image may contain Human Person Lighting Architecture and Building
    NASA JPL
    05

    PHOTO 14-Orbit Pavilion-interior fine tuning the speakers-photo by NASA JPL

    Each satellite is assigned a sound based on its mission, and those sounds mimic the position of the satellite in space.
  • Image may contain Human Person Pedestrian Footwear Shoe Clothing Apparel Architecture Building and Pants
    NASA JPL
    06

    PHOTO 9-Orbit Pavilion-Interior1-photo by NASAJPL

    The Orbit Pavilion is a traveling exhibition.
Read More
A Lot of Shops Won't Fix Electric Bikes. Here's Why
Bike shop mechanics have lost fingers and their shirts while repairing ebikes of dubious origins. Make sure yours is repairable and third-party certified.
Stephanie Pearson
The Audacity Is the Broligarchy Takedown You Were Waiting For
AMC’s new black comedy about a manchild tech titan spinning out of control is a skewering Silicon Valley’s billionaire class deserves.
Miles Klee
It’s a Tablet! It’s a Laptop! After Testing the Best 2-in-1s, Here’s What I Recommend
Whether you want a detachable tablet or a laptop screen that spins, these 2-in-1 devices manage to balance being both a tablet and a laptop.
Luke Larsen
There’s a Secret Ingredient to Making Luxury Ice at Home
Nice ice is big business, but you can get perfectly clear cubes at home without freezing your assets.
Jeremy White
The Screenmaxxers Who Spend Every Waking Hour on Their Phones
As debates over social media addiction rage, people with extreme screen times tell WIRED they have no plans to cut back.
Miles Klee
Mammotion’s Spino E1 Pool Cleaner Isn’t Bad for the Price—It's Just Not That Good
This compact pool robot keeps its price down, but its performance doesn’t match that of more capable cleaners.
Christopher Null
The Best Coffee Mug Warmers Are Smart. But They Don’t Need an App
The first rule of coffee is that it must stay hot. After weeks or even years of testing, these are the three coffee warmers that will best keep it that way.
Matthew Korfhage
Crimson Desert Is a Cat Dad Simulator
Step into the shoes of the strongest, goodest boy in a game that is beautiful, baffling, and impossible to put down.
This At-Home Hair Color Printer Raised My Blood Pressure
This hair dye printer promises hundreds of shades. It couldn't even manage two.
Louryn Strampe
I Tested the MacBook Neo and the MacBook Air. Here's Which One You Should Buy
After conducting long-term testing on both the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air, I have a good idea who should buy which laptop.
Luke Larsen
The Best Electric Cargo Bikes for Carrying This and That Everywhere
You don't need a car to tote around kids and cup holders. I rode cargo ebikes for miles to find the best one for your buck.
Adrienne So
Your Push Notifications Aren’t Safe From the FBI
Plus: Iran’s internet blackout hits the 1,000-hour mark, cryptocurrency scams result in a record amount of money stolen from Americans, and more.
Matt Burgess