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Science In Public

Science writers, communicators, media, training, and public relations

Kieren Topp

Spider crabs, data for dolphins, science while you shop, and a play by ChatGPT

Sunday 13 August: highlights from day two of National Science Week

Researchers, experts, and other interesting people available for interview around the country.

VIC: Is AI the next Shakespeare? See a play written by ChatGPT.

VIC: Solving great spider crab mysteries, without getting wet, sandy or bitten.

NSW: Meet the chemist-turned-artist behind Atmospheric Memory.

NSW: Meet a life-sized dinosaur at Science in the Swamp.

ACT: Keeping brains young with creative computing for seniors.

SA: Using data to map dolphin migration.

QLD: Street Science on the farm at the Ekka.

ACT: Space, robotics, and engineering with LEGO: science while you shop in Canberra’s malls.

National: Kooo-koo-kaa-kaa, croak, screeee… What is Australia’s favourite animal sound?

Read on for more on these, including direct event contact details.

Also today:
[Read more…] about Spider crabs, data for dolphins, science while you shop, and a play by ChatGPT

Bull shark bandits, butterfly-inspired tech, satirical science music, and bloody school science classes

Dozens of Science Week stories around Queensland

  • Street Science on the farm at the Ekka.
  • TV presenter Dr Rob Bell shares bloody science with Aussie kids in 200 schools nationwide.
  • A science fair for sick kids in The Children’s Hospital.
  • Satirical science music ‘Road to Reason’: album launch at Planetarium.
  • Meet human and marine stars of National Geographic’s SHARKFEST and Bull Shark Bandits – Currumbin.
  • How butterflies inspire technology – Kuranda.
  • A band of physicists go on a road trip to explain quantum and dark matter – touring Queensland.
  • Kooo-koo-kaa-kaa, croak, screeee… What is Australia’s favourite animal sound?

More on these highlights below.

Scientists, experts and event organisers are available for interview throughout Science Week.

Read on for direct contact details for each event, or contact Tanya Ha – tanya@scienceinpublic.com.au or 0404 083 863.

Visit ScienceWeek.net.au/events to find more stories in your area.

Media centre here. Images for media here.

[Read more…] about Bull shark bandits, butterfly-inspired tech, satirical science music, and bloody school science classes

Blade Runner, ballistics, birdsongs, and a First Nations food garden

Dozens of Science Week stories around ACT

  • Space, robotics, and engineering with LEGO: science while you shop in Canberra’s malls.
  • First Nations food and medicine in the National Museum’s garden.
  • Pew-pew! Fact or fiction in Hollywood ballistics.
  • Biodiversity offsets to funding threatened species: the maths of environmental policies.
  • Blade Runner: what do neuroscientists and bioethics experts think?
  • Keeping brains young with creative computing for seniors.
  • Kooo-koo-kaa-kaa, croak, screeee… What is Australia’s favourite animal sound?

More on these highlights below.

Scientists, experts and event organisers are available for interview throughout Science Week.

Read on for direct contact details for each event, or contact Tanya Ha – tanya@scienceinpublic.com.au or 0404 083 863.

Visit ScienceWeek.net.au/events to find more stories in your area. Media centre here. Images for media here.

[Read more…] about Blade Runner, ballistics, birdsongs, and a First Nations food garden

Megafauna, micro-photos, an AI health-revealing ‘Time Machine’, and painting in a Sea of Light

Dozens of Science Week stories around the Territory

  • Paint with a UV torch at ‘Sea of Light’, a light installation at MAGNT.
  • A health lab on wheels and AI ‘time machine’ shows impact of disease – Darwin, Daly River, and Tiwi Islands.
  • Young Territorians compete to take the best micro-photos.
  • How did megafauna-filled Alcoota lose its giant birds, wombats and marsupial lions, and become Australia’s red centre?
  • Limurr dharr djiwarr: learning on Country.
  • Kooo-koo-kaa-kaa, croak, screeee… What is Australia’s favourite animal sound?

More on these highlights below.

Scientists, experts and event organisers are available for interview throughout National Science Week.

Read on for direct contact details for each event, or contact Tanya Ha – tanya@scienceinpublic.com.au, 0404 083 863.

Visit ScienceWeek.net.au/events to find stories in your area using the event listing.

Media centre here. Images for media here.

[Read more…] about Megafauna, micro-photos, an AI health-revealing ‘Time Machine’, and painting in a Sea of Light

Science vs fake news, dark matter art, planet-saving urban forests, and diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench

Saturday 12 August: highlights from day one of National Science Week

Researchers, experts, and other interesting people available for interview around the country.

NSW: A writer, a broadcaster and an AI expert discuss science in the age of fake news.

NSW: Nicole Yamase: the first Pacific Islander to visit the deepest point of the Mariana Trench.

VIC: Can art shed light on invisible dark matter?

ACT: First Nations food and medicine with Wiradjuri man Adam Shipp.

SA: Tree scientist encourages gardeners to grow the urban forest.

TAS: Science, music, Indigenous astronomy at NOCTURNA Dark Sky Retreat.

WA: Finding aliens, love, energy, innovation, and the bottom of the ocean at The Anti-conference.

WA: Why it’s good to have a bird brain.

Read on for more on these, including direct event contact details.

Also today:
[Read more…] about Science vs fake news, dark matter art, planet-saving urban forests, and diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench

An Aussie astronaut, plants fighting climate change, scientists’ drag battle, and a giant Poo Palace

Dozens of Science Week stories around New South Wales

  • An Aussie astronaut, art therapy, deep sea science, space junk and Sky Country –all at the Sydney Science Festival.
  • Newcastle’s giant inflatable Poo Palace recreates the journey of food, from lips to loo.
  • What’s the role of plants, wetlands and phytoplankton in tackling climate change?
  • What’s the secret to happiness? An 85-year-long scientific study has some ideas.
  • Scientists by day; drag performers by night. Who will be crowned the ‘ultimate drag scientist’?
  • Who makes the ‘laws’ in space? When do you need to call a space lawyer? Who can mine the moon? – Newcastle.
  • Indigenous science, song-lines and stars – Wollongong.
  • Meet the super microbes who could save us from plastic – Orange, Sydney & Newcastle.
  • Marshmallow bazookas, leaf-blower levitation, and explosive liquid nitrogen with Dr Graham in Goulburn.
  • Become a poo, race a solar car, explore the moon – Newcastle.
  • Floods, storms and the Wyangala dam: a First Nation perspective – Wyangala.

More on these highlights below.

Scientists, experts and event organisers are available for interview throughout National Science Week.

Read on for direct contact details for each event, or contact Tanya Ha – tanya@scienceinpublic.com.au or 0404 083 863.

Visit ScienceWeek.net.au/events to find more stories in your area.

Media centre here. Images for media here.

[Read more…] about An Aussie astronaut, plants fighting climate change, scientists’ drag battle, and a giant Poo Palace

Dr Karl, beer science, animal private parts, and Indigenous astronomy at a dark sky party

Dozens of Science Week stories around Tasmania

  • Dr Karl: what’s the science in future careers?
  • Science, music, Indigenous astronomy at NOCTURNA Dark Sky Retreat.
  • Cats, chemicals, brains, stress, and space junk: young scientists tour Tasmania.
  • Multi-chambered vaginas, elongated clitorises, pseudo-penises and more: improv and 3D-printed animal vaginas reveal the world of female reproduction.
  • Experimental beers with three independent breweries and two thirsty scientists.
  • Citizen scientists wanted to investigate microplastics.
  • Racing robots, seed bombs, an augmented reality sandpit, and more at the Festival of Bright Ideas.
  • How the Southern Ocean is keeping the planet from overheating.
  • Kooo-koo-kaa-kaa, croak, screeee… What is Australia’s favourite animal sound?

More on these highlights below.

Scientists, experts and event organisers are available for interview throughout National Science Week.

Read on for direct contact details for each event, or contact Tanya Ha – tanya@scienceinpublic.com.au, 0404 083 863.

Visit ScienceWeek.net.au/events to find stories in your area using the event listing.

Media centre here. Images for media here.

[Read more…] about Dr Karl, beer science, animal private parts, and Indigenous astronomy at a dark sky party

Birds soar high in poll to identify Australia’s favourite animal sound.

Banjo frog hops into the top 10. Cicada holds tight.

Is your favourite still singing? Or did it ‘croak’?

Vote now for your favourite from the remaining animal calls.

Over 90,000 voters have made their voices heard in the search for Australia’s Favourite Animal Sound.

Birds perch high in the top 10, with voters expressing their affection for the songs of the magpie, kookaburra, lyrebird, whipbird, butcherbird, black cockatoo, boobook and the fairy wren.

[Read more…] about Birds soar high in poll to identify Australia’s favourite animal sound.

Spider crabs, science denial, and a play by ChatGPT

Dozens of Science Week stories around Victoria

And 5pm TONIGHT photo opportunity at launch event of Science Week in WA

  • DARK MATTERS exhibition – can art make the invisible universe visible?
  • Solving great spider crab mysteries, without getting wet, sandy or bitten.
  • Is AI the next Shakespeare? See a play written by ChatGPT.
  • Astrophysicists vs science fiction, and a sci-fi costume competition.
  • Should we care about science denialism? Ask psychologists and scientists.
  • Dog happiness and mental health.
  • A band of physicists on a road trip around Victoria to explain quantum and dark matter.
  • Software, sunscreen and STEM Sisters: pop-up science talks outside the Library.
  • What is Australia’s favourite animal sound?

More on these highlights below.

Scientists, experts and event organisers are available for interview throughout Science Week.

Read on for direct contact details for each event, or contact Tanya Ha – tanya@scienceinpublic.com.au or 0404 083 863.

Visit ScienceWeek.net.au/events to find more stories in your area.

Media centre here. Images for media here.

[Read more…] about Spider crabs, science denial, and a play by ChatGPT

Bird brains; raising the dead; the rise of AI; a scabby cartoon; and elemental energy.

Dozens of Science Week stories around Western Australia

And 5pm TONIGHT photo opportunity at launch event of Science Week in WA

  • The rise of AI: what are the risks and benefits?
  • Finding aliens, love, energy, innovation, and the bottom of the ocean at The Anti-conference
  • Why it’s good to have a bird brain
  • Bringing the dead back to life: Ask a palaeontologist and archaeologist how
  • ‘Scab’: a Microtoons animation bringing microbiology to people with autism
  • Noongar knowledge and elemental energies from earth, air, water and fire
  • Gems and ancient sea fossils: rocks on earth and in space
  • What is Australia’s favourite animal sound?

More on these below and visit ScienceWeek.net.au/events to find more stories in your area.

Scientists, experts and event organisers are available for interview throughout National Science Week.

Direct contact details for each event are below or contact Tanya Ha on tanya@scienceinpublic.com.au or 0404 083 863.

Media centre here. Images for media here.

[Read more…] about Bird brains; raising the dead; the rise of AI; a scabby cartoon; and elemental energy.