The LEGO Group invites kids to see space as a playground
for their imagination as it blasts their predictions of space
travel above the New York City
skyline
- A new global study1 by the LEGO Group
reveals that 86 percent of kids are interested in finding new
planets, stars and galaxies, and 77 percent want to travel to
space.
- The LEGO Group is fostering kids' imaginations by giving the
world a preview of what awaits us in the universe.
- The LEGO Group invited kids worldwide to share their ideas on
space travel. Last night, their unique spaceship creations were
showcased in the night sky above New York
City in the first-ever 'UPO' sighting (Unidentified Playing
Objects).
- The LEGO Group and the International Astronomical Union are
calling for children to reimagine the constellations in their own
way as Funstellations.
NEW YORK, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The LEGO Group is
harnessing children's creativity and imagination to show the world
what may await us in space.
A new global study1 by the LEGO Group finds that 86
percent of kids aged four to 14 are interested in finding new
planets, stars and galaxies, and 77 percent want to travel to
space. Additionally, more than 3 in 5 (68 percent) children believe
there are aliens in space, and 64 percent say they would want to
meet one.
The LEGO Group, drawing inspiration from the universe for over
50 years, aims to unite children's curiosity about space through
the ultimate creative medium of LEGO® bricks. This year, the
company is unveiling many epic Space-themed sets like the LEGO®
Friends Stargazing Camping Vehicle, inviting adventurers to
stargaze and spot constellations, and the LEGO® City Space
Explorer Rover and Alien Life Playset, enabling kids to explore
new worlds and unleash their creativity.
Scientists estimate that only four percent of our universe has
been explored, with just 646 people ever seeing the great beyond in
person2. The LEGO Group predicts that Gen Alpha's
eagerness to search the cosmos will be the key to exploring the 96
percent of the universe still to be discovered.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a UPO!
The LEGO Group asked kids across the world to share their
visions of how they would like to explore the cosmos. With the help
of Associate Master Builder at LEGO House, Didac Perez Soriano, a selection of these
spacecrafts were reimagined in LEGO bricks.
The LEGO Group then showcased the future of space travel
according to a group of young budding space explorers – Lotty (10,
UK), Sebastian (10, Denmark), Jace
(13, Hong Kong SAR, China),
Jillian (7, USA), Jordan (12,
USA) and Orla (6, UK) – by
blasting their unique designs, playfully coined Unidentified
Playing Objects (UPOs), over the New York
City skyline.
Taking over the most photographed skyline of all
time3, the show included a space bed UPO powered by
butterfly wings complete with a snack drawer for long journeys, a
turtle spaceship that walks on the moon, a dog spaceship with 360°
windows to see all that space has to offer, and a dinosaur ship
with a jetpack, among others.
Didac Perez Soriano, Associate
Master Builder at LEGO House, said: "Children are our
inspiration for play and creativity. At LEGO House, we aim to
provide the pinnacle experience for letting play and creativity run
free, and that's why I leapt at the opportunity to build 3D
representations of their creative spaceships in LEGO bricks. The
imagination shown by young children around the world was
mind-blowing and this was one of the best experiences I have had.
I'm ecstatic we can share these with the world. With so much of the
universe still to be explored, we can't say that what they have
created isn't possible or even out there already."
Lotty Ingle, the 10-year-old
designer of the butterfly wing powered bed spaceship from
Leeds, UK, said: "I was
over the moon when I found out that my design had been picked. I
kept saying to my mum "Really?", "No, but really Mum?". I like to
be eco-friendly and didn't want to use any electricity so I thought
butterfly wings would be a good idea. I would love to travel
to all the planets that no one has discovered yet and see if there
is life there, and if they are just like us. I would really like
them to try all my favourite snacks that I am bringing with
me."
All UPOs in their LEGO brick form can be viewed at the "Explore
Space Your Way" exhibition at LEGO House in Billund, Denmark, until June
17. LEGO House is the ultimate destination for celebrating
everything beyond our world. The collaborative exhibition with the
Technical University of Denmark at LEGO
Square allows visitors to learn more about the infinite depths of
space through wildly creative exhibits crafted entirely from LEGO
bricks.
Reimagining the Constellations
While the constellations of our night sky have been set by
astronomers in history, the LEGO Group also believes that Gen Alpha
can bring a new creative lens to our view of the stars. Celebrating
kids' curiosity about the future of space, the LEGO Group is asking
children to reimagine the night sky with their own
Funstellations.
With a guardian's help, children are invited to visit
LEGO.com/Space to download a sky map and join the dots together to
show what object or shape they can see in the stars – maybe it's a
cowboy riding a unicorn or a flying whale.
The LEGO Group will then work with the International
Astronomical Union to recognise their formations as Funstellations
– official reimaginations of our constellations – and update our
vision of the night sky.
Debra Elmegreen, President of
the International Astronomical Union said: "We are
excited to tap into the unbridled creativity of children through
this collaboration by encouraging them to look up at the night sky
and think about the stars. The next generation of scientists and
space explorers will shape how we understand and interact with the
Universe. With this project, we hope to give them a head
start."
Visit LEGO.com/Space to submit your Funstellation and explore
space your way.
Notes to Editors
1 Independent research was conducted on behalf of the
LEGO Group from March 18 to April 22,
2024 among kids aged 4-14 and their parents from the
United Kingdom (n=1,000),
the United States (n=1,000),
Germany (n=1,000), Turkey (n=1,000), Australia (n=500), New Zealand (n=500), Singapore (n=1,000), China's Mainland (n=1,000), Hong Kong SAR,
China (n=1,000), Taiwan Region
(n=1,000), India (n=1,000),
South Korea (n=1,000),
Japan (n=1,000), Spain (n=1,000), France (n=1,000), Italy (n=1,000), and Portugal (n=1,000).
2 Source: NASA
3 Source: Pixsy
For more information, please contact
media@lego.com.
About the LEGO Group:
The LEGO Group's mission is to inspire and develop the builders
of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play,
with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to
build and rebuild anything they can imagine.
The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole
Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words
Leg Godt, which means "Play Well". Today, the LEGO Group remains a
family-owned company headquartered in Billund. However, its
products are now sold in more than 130 countries worldwide.
For more news from the LEGO Group, and information about our
financial performance and responsibility engagement, please
visit www.LEGO.com/aboutus.
About LEGO® House:
LEGO® House, situated in the hometown of the LEGO Group in
Billund, Denmark, is the ultimate
LEGO experience – anything is possible here. Comprising of over 25
million LEGO bricks, four one-of-a-kind Experience Zones, nine
rooftop playgrounds, and a unique LEGO Museum, LEGO House
reinforces the importance of the five key skills that are developed
when learning through play - physical, social, emotional, cognitive
and creative skills.
Designed to allow LEGO lovers of all ages to unleash their
creativity, LEGO House is home to some of the world's largest LEGO
models including giant dinosaurs, waterfalls, and the Tree of
Creativity, providing plenty of inspiration for any fan's next
masterpiece.
About the UPO Ambassadors:
Lotty Ingle (10, United Kingdom): Lotty will set off
into the universe in a space bed powered by butterfly wings. The
bed-shaped spacecraft has a dragon's fire engine to give her extra
power and keep her warm, and a special snack drawer underneath to
keep herself and the aliens well fed in between planet visits.
Sebastian Mikkelsen (10,
Denmark): Sebastian's rocket
is shaped like a straw hat with reindeer antlers as wings and would
have a high-tech computer lab, gaming room and a place to eat and
sleep. His spaceship will have a big power rocket attached that
will allow him to zoom around to other planets where he will
discover aliens to befriend.
Jace Kong (13, Hong Kong SAR,
China): Jace can't wait
to one day be able to explore space in her dog shaped spacecraft
with 360° windows so she can see all that space has to offer and
wave to any aliens as they fly by. Taking inspiration from a dream
she had, the spacecraft will have fun multi-coloured lights so she
can host parties on the moon with all the different breeds of dogs
to keep her company whilst exploring the cosmos.
Jillian Granelli (7,
USA): Jillian fantasizes about
setting off around space on a dinosaur wearing a big jetpack,
allowing her to speed between planets faster.
Jordan Hardnett (12,
USA): Jordan says he will
travel to space and discover the unknown in his alien spaceship
fully equipped with futuristic gadgets, including night vision
goggles to see other creatures.
Orla Diamond (6,
UK): Orla hopes to explore space in her turtle-shaped
spacecraft which has a long neck to help her see and hear
everything. It even has a slide and ladder for when she ventures
out on foot across her newly discovered planets.
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