Imagine This

By ABC Kids listen

Imagine This is a science podcast for the young and curious. Have you ever wondered how bees make honey? Or how do fish breathe underwater? Or, very importantly, where your poo goes when you flush it down the toilet? Imagine This is a series of puzzling science questions from inquisitive young minds. Our host, Dr Niraj Lal, chats to kids and Australia's leading academics, taking you on imaginative adventures to learn about the world around us and find the answers together. This podcast is suited to kids aged 4 and up, though all members of the family are sure to learn something!

Episodes

What is phone reception and why do my parents lose it?

We use phones a lot – to call our friends, message our grandparents, play games, follow maps… But what happens when our phones stop working? When the page doesn’t load or the call drops out? Nij and the kids meet Dr Shaghik Atakaramians to learn about this mysterious ‘reception’ and why it sometimes gets ‘lost’.

20/08/24•14m 28s

Why do we get older?

Every year we get older… we have birthday parties and eat cake but what is happening in our bodies? Why do we get taller and grow more teeth? And why do we eventually stop growing? Nij and the kids meet Dr Lindsay Wu to follow the microscopic lives of our cells and how we grow as we get older

13/08/24•15m 49s

Why is the sea salty?

More than half our planet is covered in seawater. There are about six teaspoons of salt in every litre. So, where did it all come from? Nij and the kids meet Dr Katharina Fabricius to follow the journey of salty seawater and their first stop is… the clouds?

06/08/24•13m 19s

What are rocks made of?

Rocks are all around us… they’re in the garden, on the road, in the bush and all our waterways... But how did they all get there? And what are they made of? Nij and the kids meet Dr Heather Handley in her subterranean submarine 'Velma' and venture into a volcano for answers….

30/07/24•14m 7s

How do chickens make eggs?

If you need an egg to make a chicken, then where did the first egg come from? Nij and the kids meet Professor Kate Buchanan to learn about how chickens make eggs... and which came first!

23/07/24•13m 55s

How are rainbows made?

We can see them after a sun shower... or the spray of the sprinkler... we can even sing them! But why can't we ever catch them? Nij shares the ingredients to make a rainbow in this special episode of Imagine This...

19/12/23•13m 21s

Who was the first person in the world?

Family trees have so many branches. You're on one branch, your parents on another, your grandparents on another and great grandparents after that... Could it go all the way back to the first person? Let's ask archaeologist Associate Professor Michelle Langley about how humans came to be...

19/12/23•14m 16s

How do snails get their shells?

Let's follow the slimy, shiny trail down the garden path all the way to... the Snail Whisperers! Drs John and Lorelle Stanisic will show us the secret lives of snails and how they get their famous spiral shells.

19/12/23•12m 53s

How is fabric made?

Fabric is everywhere. It's on the bus seat and the welcome mat... It's the curtains and the carpet... it's our snugly blankets and beloved teddies... and all our clothes! But what is it all made from? And how? Join textiles expert Emma Peters as we follow the journey of cotton from field to fabric.

19/12/23•13m 9s

Why do we have to brush our teeth?

Every morning and every night we have to get the toothpaste and our toothbrushes and clean our teeth... But why? Let's visit dentist Dr Mihiri Silva for a check up and learn why it's so important to look after our teeth.

19/12/23•13m 19s

How did the universe start?

The universe is the biggest and oldest thing there is. It's every bit of everything that has ever existed. But what was there before there was anything? Nij and the kids meet Nobel Prize winning astrophysicist Professor Brian Schmidt to journey back to the beginning of everything to see how it all began....

20/06/23•15m 20s

How did animals become pets?

Purring pussycats and panting pups... Pretty parrots and even fluffy farm animals... Our furry friends make our lives better in so many ways but how did this friendship start? Nij and the kids meet anthrozoologist Professor Pauleen Bennett to journey back in time to meet humankind's first pet...

20/06/23•14m 0s

How do lights light up?

As the sun sets and the sky gets dark, something else starts to happen... The lights come on! There are lots of different kinds of lights but what's happening inside an LED light bulb? Nij and the kids meet physicist Professor Chennupati Jagadish to shine a light on this tricky question...

20/06/23•14m 0s

How are seeds made?

If plants come from seeds but seeds come from plants then how do you get a seed to start off with? Nij and the kids meet ecologist Professor Angela Moles for a bushwalk to find some answers...

20/06/23•14m 0s

Why do we have to sleep?

At the end of each day, your arms and legs feel heavy and your eyes begin to close, your mouth stretches open to do a big yawn and you drift off to sleep.... But why? Nij and the kids meet Dr Jasneek Chawla to figure out what makes us sleep and why we have to!

20/06/23•14m 0s

How is plastic made?

It's in supermarkets and schools, computers and cars... plastic is just about everywhere! But what is it actually made from? And how do you make it? Grab your lab coats and safety goggles because we're off to meet Professor Veena Sahajwalla to find some answers...

06/12/22•14m 31s

How do birds fly?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a bird expert IN a plane! Let's soar the skies with pilot and zoologist Milly Formby as she shows us how birds fly.

06/12/22•13m 45s

Why aren't there big animals like dinosaurs anymore?

Are you ready to turn back time? Let's wind back the clock with Dino Dome's Fact-o-saurus, Tim Richards, and follow in some ginormous footsteps to learn how dinosaurs got so big!

06/12/22•14m 34s

Why do the tides go in and out?

Sometimes a beach can look full to the brim, other times the sand seems to go for miles. Is the water going somewhere else? Why does it change throughout the day? Let's find Associate Professor Ana Vila-Concejo to find the answers in some stellar places...

06/12/22•12m 39s

How does my skin heal?

Nij has taken a tumble and has grazed his elbow! It stings and there's a little bit of blood. Ouch! Time for a check-up from Dr Greg Kelly. He's going to show us all the millions of helpers that work together to heal your skin.

06/12/22•14m 57s

Introducing... Noisy by Nature!

New Imagine This is coming very soon, but while you wait check out the latest season of Noisy by Nature with our fave nature nerd Dr Ann Jones!

07/11/22•1m 28s

BONUS: Marine Biology in the Imaginarium

Nij is taking the Imaginarium under the sea and doing a deep dive on all your ocean questions with marine biologist Tooni Mahto!

20/09/22•9m 53s

Introducing... Dino Dome!

While you wait for more Imagine This, sink your teeth into roarsome new podcast Dino Dome! It's a Mesozoic mashup of science facts and dino-mite action hosted by Tim Richards and Amanda Shalala. New episodes out every Thursday.

27/07/22•2m 48s

How do caterpillars turn into butterflies?

A caterpillar hatches from an egg on a leaf and starts to munch munch munch. It grows bigger and bigger and then something amazing happens… but it’s not what you think! Join Professor Myron Zalucki, Nij and the kids as they imagine themselves as ladybugs to learn how a butterfly is made.

14/06/22•14m 16s

Why do farts come out of your bum?

Today we're talking about something that all of us do. They can be loud or soft, sometimes smelly and almost always funny. We're talking about fluffs, toots, air biscuits - yes, farts! - and why they come out of our bums. Join Professor Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh as we shrink to fit inside his gas-smelling capsule to follow the journey of gas in our bodies.

14/06/22•13m 19s

How does the sun light up the world?

The Sun is hot and bright, it helps plants grow and keeps us warm. But did you know, the Sun is also a star? How come there are so many tiny, twinkling stars at night and just one sun lighting up the world in the day time? Let's blast off into outer space with Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith for a closer look at our closest star.

14/06/22•11m 37s

How did people come up with words?

There are lots of words in lots of languages in the world. There's a word for almost everything we can imagine! But how did words start? And why do languages all sound so different? Let's take a ride in a time (and place) machine with Dr Howie Manns to learn about how and why people come up with words.

14/06/22•13m 48s

How is water made clean to drink?

Water falls as rain from the sky, or runs through rivers, creeks and lakes. So how does it get into our taps, toilets and garden hoses? Let's imagine ourselves as falling raindrops with Dr Anna Rigosi, so we can follow the great water journey from the sky all the way to the kitchen sink.

14/06/22•11m 59s

Introducing... Little Yarns!

While you wait for new Imagine This, take a listen to Little Yarns! Hosted by Gamilaroi girl, Rudi Bremer, Little Yarns is a podcast that takes your ears on Country to share some of Australia's First languages and have a little yarn! New episodes are out every Monday.

04/05/22•1m 0s