Search results

Video

Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Chemical catalysts

Have you ever heard of a catalyst? Watch as the Surfing Scientist, Ruben Meerman, demonstrates the power of a catalyst. He adds one to just two other ingredients to create a chemical reaction with spectacular foaming results - just like elephant toothpaste!

Video

Editing with Alice Pung

In addition to being a writer, Alice Pung has experience as an editor. What was the advice her own editor gave her when she started editing other people's work? Alice believes that good editors ask writers good questions. How else can editors help writers? Next time a friend or classmate asks you to give them feedback on ...

Video

Sacred fig tree lone survivor video

Warrgamay elder Bill Morganson visits a sacred meeting place for his people - the last giant fig tree in the Herbert River Valley, north Queensland. He explains how trees like this were used by Warrgamay people and why this surviving fig has such value.

Video

A mini chemistry set in a stick

Do you know how glowsticks work? Watch this clip and discover the chemical reaction that takes place when you snap a glowstick and release the reactants. Find out about chemiluminescence in nature, when scientists first created glowing sticks and the chemical equation that describes the reaction. Can you guess which glowstick ...

Video

ABC Open: Veterans reflect on the meaning of Anzac Day

What does Anzac Day mean to you? For some older Australians, Anzac Day recognises loyalty to the British Empire. To others it is a time to remember sacrifice and to take pride in Australian character. Watch this clip to discover what Anzac Day means to a number of veterans in the 21st century.

Video

Catalyst: Large Hadron Collider discovery, 2012

Have you heard of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)? Watch this clip to find out about a scientific discovery at the LHC that left physicists uncharacteristically emotional. Catalyst's Dr Derek Muller takes you inside the LHC and talks to scientists there about the discovery of the Higgs boson and what it means for our understanding ...

Video

The historical legacy of John Glover

English artist John Glover emigrated to Van Diemen's Land in 1831. He settled on a generous land grant called "Patterdale", near Deddington in northern Tasmania. Many of Glover’s artworks provide historical records of the people, plants and animals who lived in the area, as well as the changes wrought by European settlement.

Video

ABC Open: Anzac Day and the unseen costs of war

Discover the unseen costs of war. Many people experience fear, anxiety, bereavement, shock and other forms of psychological trauma that do not end when they return home. Watch this clip as residents of Violet Town in Victoria reflect on the personal cost of war.

Video

The Australian Dream: Cultural identity

Cultural identity gives us a sense of connection and belonging and an understanding of who we are and where we come from. There is a direct connection between people's sense of cultural identity and their health and wellbeing. This clip explores some of our nation’s history, including how Australia Day is seen by both Indigenous ...

Video

Imagining other uses for robotics technology

It's cool to program robots to play football, but there are many more useful applications for programming robots to react to what they are seeing. What are some of the examples David McKinnon gives? Can you think of some more examples?

Video

Battle of Fromelles explained

Have you heard of the Battle of Fromelles? It was an important World War I battle for Australia for many reasons. Watch this video explainer to find out more about this battle and its significance to many Australians.

Video

George Orwell’s '1984'

1984 is a novel by British author George Orwell, published in 1949. How has that period - the late 1940s - shaped the novel? What world event and its consequences led to Orwell writing such a dystopian novel? Professor Bowen claims the Senate House, formerly Ministry of Information, is the basis for the novel's Ministry ...

Video

How to become a NASA engineer

Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? Debora Fairbrother, a NASA engineer, didn't know what career path she was on. Watch this clip as she talks about the importance of education and of following your passion.

Video

First Tuesday Book Club: Sentencing 'The Book Thief'

People can express their opinions and attitudes in ways other than words. In this clip, join in the discussion about Markus Zusak's popular novel 'The Book Thief', and explore how verbal and non-verbal cues can add emphasis to your speech.

Video

Four Corners: I speak, you guess

Listen to the voices of a small selection of students from around Australia to see if you can guess where they live. Is place the most important thing that shapes their language, or are there other factors that influence how people speak?

Video

Considering your audience when writing

Why is it important to think about who your readers will be when you write a story? In this clip author Alice Pung explains some of the things she had to consider when writing her 'Marley' books for young readers. What does Alice say about the way she used language? And how did she convey the historical themes in her stories? ...

Video

Interviews With 10 Australian Authors, Ch 7: Playing with Hannie Rayson

It was while Hannie Rayson was at acting school that she realised she wanted to be a playwright. In this interview led by Tom Tilley she talks about how she began writing plays, why she became interested in the notion of Anglo Australian art and culture, and how all her characters are in some way an embodiment of herself.

Video

This Day Tonight: Debating Vietnam: using counter-arguments, 1967

Imagine agreeing with your opponent in a debate. How could that possibly help your argument? Many successful speakers, however, realise that concession is an important persuasive technique. In this clip, explore how two speakers discussing the effectiveness of Vietnam War protest marches both use concession to improve their ...

Video

Tom Keneally and 1960s Australia

Have you heard of the 1967 Referendum, Vincent Lingiari or the Freedom Ride? The late 1960s was a period of great social upheaval with many young Australians unhappy with the treatement of Indigenous Australians and with Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. How effective is Thomas Keneally's parallel between the ...

Video

All about engines

What does 'horsepower' really mean? And how do engines work? Join Luke and Abhi from MIT to find out! As Abhi explains, engines produce power by forcing a mixture of fuel and air into a tight space and then burning it. Piston engines and turbine engines do this in similar, yet different ways. After watching this video, ...