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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?

When opening a tin can, chances are you’ll turn to a can opener or use a ring pull. But these are not the only ways to crack open a tin. In this activity, try using sandpaper to remove the top of a can!

If you want to fly, you’ve got to move, right? Birds flap, propellers whirr, and if you’ve ever watched the spiral painted on the middle of a jet engine, you’ll know they spin too. But recently, researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States created a plane with no moving parts at all.

It’s exciting to get swept up in the fictional world of a good movie, but do you ever wonder if the story line is really possible? Sit back and pass the popcorn as we take a closer look at the science and technology behind Ant-Man and The Wasp.

Do you like paper planes? Here’s a different glider to try, made from cups. You might be surprised at the path it takes when it flies!

Have you ever wondered how cranes can lift such heavy things? Their pulleys really help lighten the load. In this activity, have a play with some pulleys. These simple machines can make heavy weights as light as a feather!

If you hate cleaning windows, then do we have the invention for you! Sydney high school student Oliver Nicholls has developed a robotic window cleaner that has impressed the world. In fact, he just took out the top award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Pittsburgh in the United States!

Stephen Hawking was widely regarded as one of the best physicists of our age, so it was a huge loss when he died on 14 March this year. Here are a few things you might not know about one of history’s most celebrated scientists.

Put your thinking caps on, it’s time to test your skills in chemistry, time, space, tech and biology!