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The idea there are living organisms, as yet undiscovered by humans, living on other planets, has fascinated people for years. The search for alien life is not just a science fiction topic – it’s part of a scientific field called astrobiology.

This August, get involved in National Science Week! Why not host your own science quiz night? Here are some questions and answers to help you get started.

Giant wombats, short-faced kangaroos and the largest land lizard to ever have lived are just some of Australia’s megafauna. These large animals have mostly gone extinct. However, the cause of their extinction is still a matter of debate.

Kites are a great way to combine science, playfulness, patience and imagination. So grab a some simple household items and start building!

A fridge or freezer can preserve food for weeks, months or years. But that’s nothing compared to glaciers, with layers of ice preserving information about Earth’s climate for thousands of years.

Cooking is fun and it’s a great way to make a tasty snack. But have you ever thought about what’s going on when you cook something? Try making some cupcakes, and you’ll pick up a thing or two about chemistry.

DVDs are a useful, reliable and relatively cheap way of storing information. Australian researchers have recently developed a technique to massively increase a DVD’s storage capacity.

What does hula hooping have to do with science? Quite a lot when we think about physics; namely energy, motion and torque. Check out the latest installment of our new video series to see some awesome hooping and how easy it is to mimic this movement with other objects.

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in Australia and around the world. Researchers in the USA are developing a new method using the unique ‘smell’ of skin cancer cells to detect them earlier.

Our eyes play a huge part in helping us explore the world around us, but occasionally they play tricks on us. In this optical illusion, we’re testing your perception of colour by making an after-image optical illusion. In other words, we’re tricking your eyes to see colours that aren’t really there. Check it out!