The third-generation ocean explorer Fabien Cousteau, much like his grandfather, Jacques, has taken to the ocean’s deepest depths to address humanity’s most pressing global challenges, including climate change, medicinal discoveries, and food sustainability. What he’s lacked so far, however, is a state-of-the-art facility for his team at the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center to conduct that crucial research. Enter PROTEUS™, the world’s most technologically advanced underwater scientific research station conceived by both Cousteau and Fuseproject founder Yves Béhar as an aquatic equivalent of the International Space Station.

Located in the richly biodiverse marine-protected waters near the Caribbean island of Curaçao, PROTEUS™ will serve as a platform for global collaboration among the world’s leading researchers, academics, and government agencies to advance scientific inquiry to benefit the future of the planet. “The intent is to offer an effective, comfortable, and attractive destination for researchers,” says Béhar, “and an exciting underwater structure that garners the same passion for ocean exploration as we have for space exploration.” The curvaceous, 4,000-square-foot structure, perched on adjustable stilts, features laboratories, bathrooms, sleeping quarters, and medical bays that can accommodate teams of up to 12 researchers in the long term.

Though PROTEUS™ will likely disrupt marine research as we know it, the ambitious concept is still in the planning phase. Once Cousteau secures more funding, he plans to enlist an engineering team to fully realize the project. “Like all big dreams, it needs further development,” Béhar tells Fast Company. “But one of the ways we’ve done fundraising in the last few months is by sharing this concept and sharing this dream.”

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Most homebound workers can confirm the onset of “Zoom fatigue,” the exhaustion caused by near-constant group video meetings, as an unexpected consequence of quarantine life. To bring a much-needed dose of fun back into the work day, the Institute of Contemporary Art and Virginia Commonwealth University (ICA at VCU) has launched 1-844-NOT-Z00M, a hotline that invites anyone to dial for compelling audio content from contemporary artists—a welcome antidote to the never-ending grind of the Zoom realm.

Dial in to be greeted by the artist Autumn Knight, who guides users to select from three experiences: a recording of a check-in call between the writer Kevin Simmonds, his mother, and her in-home caretaker; a rendition of Zvichapera, a song released by the late mbira virtuoso Chiwoniso Maraire and performed by Zimbabwean composer Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa; and a preview of Judgement, an unreleased single by Salvadorean-Mexican-American musician Angelica Garcia. Keep calling—ICA at VCU will update the roster regularly.

Founded in 1996 in Val-de-Travers, Switzerland, Parmigiani Fleurier designs each watch model as a showpiece, created and perfected within its own network of workshops. Founder and master watchmaker Michel Parmigiani conceived the brand’s spirit in 1976 through his work restoring historical timepieces.

Surface Says: Parmigiani is a creative force who built a brand that’s at once boutique in scale and comprehensive in scope—a rare combination.

Design students are transforming invasive mussels into blue glass shards.

A distant solar system that resembles our own gets captured on camera.

The characters in Devan Shimoyama’s paintings subvert Black masculinity.

Frank Kunert’s meticulous models render absurd architectural situations.