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Big Ideas: Evolving English and the impact of television

Imagine if the English language never evolved. What would we be speaking? Possibly Old English, the language of the Anglo-Saxon tribes, a language written down using runes known as the 'futhorc'. English continues to evolve, but it takes the media to bring new words into common usage. So which form of media is responsible ...

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Heywire: Volunteers needed! Motivate your audience

We've all been bored by speakers who don't seem to know what their audience might be interested in. As you listen to her Heywire audio clip, explore inspirational 16-year-old Tameika Schultz's skill in appealing to her listeners. Could you write or record a story about yourself and/or your community? The ABC's Heywire competition ...

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Radio National: What makes a great speech?

Did you know that making a speech in public is rated as one of most people's greatest fears? There is however an art to making a great speech. Listen as Don Watson speech-writer for the former Prime minister Paul Keating, Michael Gurr playwright and speech-writer, and Ted Widmer foreign policy speech writer for former US ...

Online

TSO Songbook Part 1: Chan Mali Chan

Chan Mali Chan is a popular folk song from Malaysia and Singapore. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra have created a range of resources to explore and perform the folk song (in English and Malaysian) in the classroom. Resources include a teacher's guide with differentiated teaching and learning activities and assessment ideas ...

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Radio National: The Awabakal language of the Newcastle area

The Awabakal language, once common in the area now known as Newcastle, was almost 'lost'. It is being brought back to life using old texts and translations left by an early missionary. In this audio clip, listen to a discussion about the importance of reconstructing the Awabakal language and the challenges this poses.

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When is wrong grammar right?

Do adults or teachers ever correct how you say something? Do they tell you your grammar is wrong? Even when everybody you know says it that way? Find out who is wrong and who is right with language expert Professor Roly Sussex.

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Water found on the moon

Scientists have confirmed the presence of water on the moon. Rather than occurring in rivers or lakes, water is found sparsely mixed amongst rocks. It's suggested the water came from comets, or the combination of incoming protons with oxygen. Jonathan Nally described the latest experiments where spacecraft will be sent ...

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Radio National: Using the word 'you' in English

Have you ever wondered why we use the word 'you' to refer to both one 'you' or many of 'you'? Or have you ever heard anyone refer to many of 'you' using the once grammatically incorrect word 'youse'? This program considers the words we use when we are talking to each other face to face. It also looks at the use of the word ...

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Chemicals on the Great Barrier Reef

This program deals with a range of human impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. Herbicides from land runoff have been traced to algae and sea grasses in river mouths and coastal zones along the Great Barrier Reef. Effects include retardation of photosynthesis and growth of corals. Other pressures on the reef include high water ...

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Lakes in Antarctica

Scientists are not complacent. We still have a lot to learn about the water cycle. The discovery of glacial lakes under the ice in Antarctica actively transporting water between reservoirs was a surprise. These lakes can be up to 3km beneath the ice sheets. The pressure of the ice above helps to melt the ice, forming lakes. ...

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Green glow of radiation

Coming into contact with a large dose of radiation is known to be hazardous. But will it make you light up like a car dashboard at night? Some anecdotes that will engage the students to learn about radioactivity while dispelling a few myths.

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Ig Nobel prizes

Some humorous examples of scientists thinking outside the square and doing some unusual research. Download the audio or view the transcript of this ABC radio interview.

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Radio National: Sir Henry Parkes's Tenterfield Oration, 1889

What role did Henry Parkes play in the federation of Australia? Listen to a re-enactment of Sir Henry Parkes's famous 1889 speech in Tenterfield, known as the Tenterfield Oration. Note in particular the arguments Parkes used to gain political support.

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Radio National: Stand and deliver: public speaking and democracy

Have you ever heard the words 'Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears'? They come from the great orator Mark Antony talking about the death of Caesar in Shakespeare's play 'Julius Caesar'. Listen to this audio interview with classics scholar Dr Kathryn Welch to find out what we can learn from the first public speakers, ...

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Conserving seeds of agricultural crops

This radio interview discusses how Global Crop Diversity Trust is trying to conserve the biodiversity of the world's agricultural crops. A network of seed banks is being developed, together with a backup in a mountain in Norway. Just 10 or 12 crops dominate human nutrition. And there's turnover in varieties as crops are ...

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Plane Truths

In this ABC article or podcast Dr Karl provides statistics about comparative safety of different modes of travel and then justifies why flying is so safe.

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CERN legend stuff of angels and demons

This ABC article or podcast by Dr Karl describes and outlines the role of the particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider and how it is helping to research the nature of mass. This article is dated (2008) as some significant results from the Large Hadron Collider have since been announced.

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WA students compete in US BioGENEius challenge

Yasmin Soliman and Kayla Mizzi are the two high school students who are finalists from Western Australia for the BioGENEius challenge in Atlanta Georgia. Both girls share their research and enthusiasm for science. Download the audio or view the transcript of this ABC radio interview.

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Choleric waters still run deep with disease

With 884 million people globally not having access to clean drinking water, it comes as no surprise that cholera keeps on killing. Dr Karl explains arguably the most important medical discovery of the 20th century. An excellent resource for the understanding of why cleanliness of water is fundamental to the control of infectious ...

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Solar thermal electricity

This program gives an update on research into solar thermal electricity. Liddell Power Station in the Hunter Valley, NSW is a hybrid power station using solar energy to pre-heat water and so reduce the use of coal and the production of carbon dioxide. Some scientists claim that harnessing the solar heat in an area 50km ...