Pyramid and human “beehives” designed for Mars dwellers

A rendering of the Martian Pyramid entry.

Thingiverse

A Martian pyramid, a modular beehive, and a three-tiered Acropolis have made the final cut in the MakerBot Mars Base Challenge.

Run by Thingiverse and launched in conjunction with the 3D printer maker and Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the challenge has been open since May 30 and clocked up 227 applications. The three winning entries will each be awarded a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer in order to help them fully explore their designs for Martian abodes.

The challenge brief asked entrants to take into account the extreme weather, radiation levels, lack of oxygen, and dust storms when designing their Martian shelters. And although the applicants did not always nail the science, their designs have a novelty we've not seen since Nasa's 1970s space station and scooter designs.