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Have you ever sat in the front seat of a car at night? Road reflectors, street signs and even road paint all shine bright under car headlights. Make your own ‘road paint’ and see if you can make it shine with glass beads!

Have you ever watched a bird landing in a tree? Somehow, they manage to stop flying, grab on to a branch and balance all at once. Now, thanks to a team of researchers from Stanford University in the United States, there’s a robot that can do the same!

By Rachel Rayner Dr Keith Bannister knew from an early age he wanted to do something technical with his life. The bedroom floor of his childhood home was usually littered with wires, screws, nuts and bolts.

CSIRO’s robotics scientists have a lot to celebrate. They were part of a team that represented Australia in one of the world’s hardest robotics competitions, the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. And they just won silver (and a million dollars).

There’s a tonne of science in food. Here are 15 of our favourite food-related science activities to tickle your brain and tantalise your tastebuds!

By Mike McRae and David Shaw Attracted to doing some hands-on science? Why not use a magnet to create a ‘reed switch’?

By Mike McRae Double Helix magazine is looking for your questions! Our Microscope column answers the most intriguing science, tech, engineering and maths queries you can throw at us. Comment down below with your question, or email us at Helix.Editor@csiro.au. The best questions will be published in our magazine! Here’s a sample question to get…

Yandruwandha Yawarrawarrka Traditional Owners recently travelled to Lucas Heights, home of Australia’s nuclear reactor. They’re searching for clues from nuclear science to help tell the story of some ancient tools.

Written by Celia Berrell A small steel ball in a short smooth tube held in place by a spring, is the kind of switch that works in a twitch and starts an exploding thing.

People have been dreaming of flying cars for more than a century, and they’re almost here. There are plans to test a flying taxi from Melbourne airport as soon as next year. Flying cars are quick and oh-so-cool, but are they good for the planet?