Amazon has teamed up with the ESA to launch out-of-this-world images, from the Euclid and James Webb Space telescopes, into homes across the country to inspire the next generation of budding space enthusiasts.
The stunning images are now available on the galaxy-themed Echo Show 5 Kids and other Amazon Echo Show devices. With descriptive captions curated by EduTuber and BAFTA Award-winning children’s presenter Maddie Moate, children can see the imagery and learn about the universe by simply asking “Alexa, what does space look like?“.
The collaboration, designed to get more kids and parents learning about space together, comes as research reveals 86% of children aged 5-12 wish there were more ways to learn about space, and 69% think images and videos are the most exciting ways to learn.
The study also reveals some fun insights into kids’ thoughts and opinions on space, with one in seven believing that the planet Mars and the Milky Way were named after chocolate bars (16%), and over two fifths confident they will visit space at some point in their lifetime (42%).
“I’ve been fascinated by space from a young age and would have loved to have seen images of stars, planets and the Solar System by simply asking ‘Alexa, what does space look like?’. That’s why I’m thrilled to be part of this project bringing the latest space images onto Echo Show 5 Kids devices and I hope they bring a bit of wonderment and excitement to thousands of children across the UK.”
Maddie Moate, Science Communicator
This new resource could also help parents brush up their space knowledge, as the new data reveals adult Brits’ 10 most common misconceptions about space:
- Pluto is a planet (46%)
- Mars is always red (38%)
- The sun revolves around Earth (30%)
- Mercury is the hottest planet (29%)
- The Moon is always the same distance from Earth (24%)
- The Moon makes its own light (23%)
- The Moon gets closer to Earth every year (21%)
- Stars are eternal (19%)
- All planets in the Solar System have solid surfaces (16%)
- All asteroids are found in the asteroid belt (15%)
Carole Mundell, Director of Science, ESA, commented: “This exciting new collaboration brings our incredible cosmos into kids’ rooms across the country via the Echo Show 5 Kids, with just a simple request. At ESA, space is our greatest passion and one that we want to ignite in others. Whether your child is considering a career in space, or just wants to know more about the galaxy, this is a great place to start.”
These new images are the latest additions to a wider bank of space knowledge available via Alexa on the Echo Show 5 Kids. Children can request “Alexa, sing a song about space” for a musical lesson or, for those looking for quick, cool facts, they can ask “Alexa, how old is the Earth?” or “Alexa, how many moons does Jupiter have?”, and for those looking to test their knowledge they can ask “Alexa, quiz me on space”.
