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Landline: Spinifex research

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Spinifex
Landline: Spinifex research

SUBJECTS:  Science, Technologies

YEARS:  5–6, 7–8


What does spinifex grass contain that might prove useful in modern buildings?

Watch this clip and discover how Aboriginal knowledge, combined with Western science, is unlocking the potential of spinifex.

Find out about this natural resource and how it could become a new, sustainable material for the building industry.


Things to think about

  1. 1.What do you know about spinifex grass? Where does it grow and what does it look like?
  2. 2.What does Colin Saltmere say are some traditional uses of spinifex? How do the Myuna Aboriginal people in the clip prepare the spinifex resin for use? What properties of spinifex does Associate Professor Martin describe? In what three ways can spinifex propagate (reproduce itself)? Why is knowing this important when deciding how to harvest it?
  3. 3.Explain how the Myuna Aboriginal people and scientists are working together to better understand the possible uses of spinifex. Consider how Aboriginal knowledge is being used in this innovative field of science to help decision-making about harvesting and processing spinifex as a crop. How might both cultures benefit from this collaboration?
  4. 4.The scientists featured in the clip are from the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). Go to the AIBN website to find out what kinds of scientific research are being conducted here. Research the field of nanotechnology and find out what a bio-nano engineer does.



Date of broadcast: 10 Oct 2010


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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