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Two centuries ago, nobody knew much about what made a single fertilised cell grow into a human. Or – for that matter – a dog, a sea urchin, a worm or a whale. The problem was nobody could imagine how a microscopic bag of chemicals could possibly split in half again and again, yet still […]

Strike a match. It lights thanks to phosphorus. This element doesn’t just have fiery applications – it’s important for life itself.

Looking for a mummy this Mother’s Day? Try this activity!

Robots have been a popular part of science fiction for years. While robots that can think and feel like humans are still just a fantasy, robotic systems are already having an impact on our lives. CSIRO runs one of the largest robotics research centres in the world, the Autonomous Systems Laboratory. Instead of trying to […]

It’s not often that we think of an organism becoming extinct as being a good thing. However, this is the case for smallpox.

When the weather gets colder, do you sometimes wish you could pack up and head somewhere warmer? Many species of animals do this – it’s called migration.

Last year Science by Email reported how 3D printers could print out chemicals. Now scientists from Oxford University are using 3D printing to create materials that mimic biological tissues.

Anzac Day is the time to stick a sprig of rosemary in your hat, watch the dawn service and bake a batch of Anzac biscuits. While I was baking these biscuits, I noticed some strange things going on.

You might not feel it, but it’s always raining – not raindrops, but cosmic rays. These high-energy particles from outer space could contain clues to some of the mysteries of the Universe.

What do the thylacine, woolly mammoth and gastric-brooding frog all have in common? For one, they’re all extinct – however, there are some scientists who think that the extinction of these animals (and others) might not have to be permanent.