National Science Week - Huge Array of Sciencey Activity

It’s National Science Week, kicking off today with a message from the PM, a dizzying array of scientific activity launches across the nation.

We’re a good scientific nation and that's reflected in our attitudes towards all things science; 93% of Australians believe positive outcomes can be achieved if people stand up for and defend science, 92% want business to take action to defend science, 92% of Australians say STEM professionals can help us solve the problems of tomorrow and 88% of Australians see the connection between science and its role in improving their life.

Great scientific activities are available in every state, in Acton ACT First Nations food and medicine Wiradjuri man Adam Shipp takes you through which Australian plants are good to eat and useful as medicine. Shipp, of Yurbay Consultancies, Yurbay (‘You-ra-bi’) is the Wiradjuri word for seed, shares knowledge of the food and medicine plants that grow in ACT in a series of tours with the opportunity to sample some of the flavours found in the Kennedy Garden and around Canberra.

There is heaps on in Sydney including the opportunity to meet Dr Meganne Christian, a European Space Agency reserve astronaut. You can also meet the first Pacific Islander to visit the deepest point of the Mariana Trench by visiting acclaimed ocean scientist Dr Nicole Yamase and learn about ocean conservation.

Beer is big in Hobart and three Australian breweries will craft both a control and an experimental beer. The audience will hear about the science and taste the difference with beer-loving scientists Kelsey Picard and Matthew Fielding.

Melburnians are fond of the dark, they have to be, and The art of dark matter event at Carlton, Vic, explores the mysterious substance that makes up 85 per cent of the matter in the universe. It’s a collaboration between Science Gallery Melbourne, Arts at CERN and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics.

Queensland Children’s Hospital STEM Fair brings science to sick kids in South Brissie, there is a lot on offer including STEM Punks who deliver learning to tomorrow’s STEM geniuses and CoralWatch which shows you how to get amongst coral conservation as a citizen scientist.

Adelaide hosts Payirri-Apinthirlu Naalityangka: the First Nations Science Festival where you can explore Indigenous science through a series of events held in the heart of the city.

Just one is the Indigital AR Workshop, where you hear a yarn on Country from a Knowledge Holder about the cultural ways of the Kaurna People and work with Indigenous TechEd company Indigital to use Minecraft, Microsoft Paint 3D and Indigital's voice recording software to turn the yarn into an augmented reality experience.

Perth hosts a plethora of activities but you might want to explore ocean depths with Paige Maroni, the deepest diving Australian woman or investigate the question; Can the power of estimation in physics help finding alien life forms in the galaxy or romantic partners in a big city?

At The Gardens, NT the festival hosts Painting in a Sea of Light where you can explore how light is produced and perceived. Using a UV torch as a paintbrush, participants can paint and stencil their own voyage or create bioluminescent animals in the Discovery Centre at MAGNT.

This is just a small fraction of what is available both in person and online all week, for a full list of events visit www.ScienceWeek.net.au/events