Have you had a meal that looked great, but tasted horrible – or vice versa? Do you like the colour of raspberries? The smell of coffee? The taste of anchovies? The texture of porridge? The sizzle of sausages? What shapes our food experiences, memories, and preferences? Why are some food pairings fabulous and others foul? What is flavour and how do you measure smells? Bring a few coriander seeds for an experiment and expect answers… and some strange sensations.

Settle in with your Friday snacks and favourite drink as renowned researcher Sonja Needs guides us through a menu of the senses. Bring a coriander seed along to take part in a live experiment./p>

The Science Festival Midafternoon Masterclass series are five, 45-minute lectures showcasing up-and-coming scientists and their groundbreaking discoveries. The Masterclasses are online, and will include interactive scientific explanations, experiments, live demonstrations, virtual lab tours, and lots of fun.

Each unique masterclass has been designed to be accessible and appealing to all audiences and is suitable for anyone with a VCE-level scientific understanding. Get your questions ready as our scientists would love the audience to join in the live Q&A and become a part of the presentation.