Category: Science Week News

Maybe you see yourself as someone who is more into Art than Science – you like the idea of picking up a paintbrush more than looking through a microscope, or perhaps you prefer immersing yourself in amazing music compositions rather than conducting a field survey? Well we have some good news – there is still…

What you need: a copy of the periodic table of the elements square or rectangular plain biscuits fondant icing, with a different colour for each group of elements in the periodic table rolling pin, ruler, sharp knife, water, pastry brush writing icing What to do: Roll out the fondant icing to about 3 mm thick….

What you need: a camera phone a fidget spinner, a fan, or an aeroplane propeller What to do: Try taking a video of a rotating fidget spinner using your phone Compare recording in portrait and landscape. If you don’t notice anything weird happening, try spinning the fidget spinner faster and videoing in the sunlight. What’s…

The ocean is our planet’s largest ecosystem. It stabilizes climate, stores carbon, nurtures biodiversity, and directly supports human well-being through food and energy resources, as well as by providing cultural and recreational services. 2021 is the first year of United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The Ocean Decade is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity…

What you need: marshmallows drinking straws scissors What to do: Split up into teams of at least two people. Give each team a packet of straws and marshmallows and a pair of scissors. Make a square out of straws cut to about 3/4 length and use the marshmallows as corner joiners. Now make another square….

What you need: a batch of iced cupcakes popping candy a glass of water What to do: Bake or borrow a batch of cupcakes for morning tea. Just before eating, sprinkle liberally with popping candy Think of the science while experiencing the explosions of joy** **Joy in this case is a synonym for pressurised CO2…

What you need: white paper or cardboard marker pens in a range of colours, for example: red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, and black What to do: Use the white paper or cardboard to make two sets of 10 rectangular flashcards. On one set of 10 flashcards, use the marker pens to write the name…

To celebrate the start of National Science Week, Melbourne University Press have an exciting pack of eight titles to entice curious minds. The Chloroformist by Christine Ball Made by Humans – the AI condition by Ellen Broad My Forests – travels with trees by Janine Burke Name That Flower – the identification of flowering plants…

What you need: vegetable oil food colouring effervescing (fizzy) aspirin or vitamin tablets a glass tumbler What to do: Fill a glass tumbler about 1/3 full with water. Add a few drops of colourful food dye. Slowly pour vegetable oil into the glass so that it floats on the water, until the glass is almost…