Category: Science Week News

What you need 250 ml vegetable oil (chilled in the refrigerator) 100 ml fruit juice such as apple or orange (Note: Do not use juice that contains pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango, or guava, as the gelatine may not set.) 1 tablespoon powdered gelatine* ice cubes pipette or spoon tall glass, small bowl, strainer and jug…

This year’s theme is Innovation, and there have been so many innovative events happening all around Australia in the last week. There was the winner of the Shirty Science competition’s ‘Most Excellent Science Shirt’ – Beyond the Stars, which is a visual representation showing the connection between the vast scales involved in the study of…

What you need 50 cm uncoated copper wire (e.g. picture-hanging wire) AA battery neodymium magnet, cylindrical in shape with a diameter similar to that of the battery (available from hardware stores) Safety warning Keep neodymium magnets out of reach of children and away from people with pacemakers. Strong magnets may snap onto metal objects with…

What you need measuring cup 50 ml cold water and 200 ml boiling water 2 tablespoons powdered gelatine* heat-proof jug, metal teaspoon, and knife small bowl or cups (clear or white will look best) food colouring (various colours) in dropper bottles *Vegan substitute: 1 tablespoon agar powder. After Step 3, heat the agar mixture in…

What you need 5 coins of the same value, each from a different year small bag or box What to do This is a magic trick to be presented to a group of people who have NOT read these instructions. Lay the coins on a table and ask a volunteer to look at the coins….

What you need erasable pen paper or cardboard What to do Write a message to a friend on the paper or cardboard. Rub out the whole message with the eraser on the pen. Give the cardboard to your friend and whisper in their ear to tell them how to reveal the message – they need…

What you need empty plastic bottle with a lid pin sticky tape water What to do With the lid on the bottle, use the pin to make a series of small holes in a line around the bottle. Wrap a piece of sticky tape around the bottle so it is covering all of the holes….