Celebrate curiosity at this year’s Science Festival

From burping cows to ancient artifacts, and a rare opportunity to explore unusual museums and laboratories – this year’s Science at Melbourne Festival is calling curious minds.

Now in its 12th year, the University of Melbourne’s annual Science at Melbourne Festival runs 10-21 August and celebrates discovery and innovation through a series of free public events.

Coinciding with National Science Week, the festival has something for everyone, including lectures, masterclasses and a range of activities.

Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse and discover inspired experiments and incredible specimens with guided tours of university lab spaces and museums rarely open to the public.

This year, the online Science at Melbourne Masterclasses will be broadcast live from two campuses, where scientists will take you into labs at Parkville and showcase the robotic dairy in action at Dookie. Teachers are encouraged to tune in with their class for these expert-led one-hour sessions.

Dean of Science Professor Moira O’Bryan said she is excited to once again open the doors and share scientific inquiry and curiosity with everyone.

“Science is about discovery, formulating new ideas and providing answers to life’s biggest mysteries, but most importantly, science belongs to everyone,” Professor O’Bryan said.

“Our researchers are global leaders in their fields, and we are thrilled to share our latest discoveries with our community.

"The festival is a time to celebrate science – to share the excitement, joy and endless possibilities of scientific pursuit and to help ignite a scientific spark in curious minds.”

View the full Science Festival program here.

Featured events include:

• Lights, chemistry, action! Tue 11 Aug, from 5:30pm . Visit labs where researchers are investigating and designing materials to make our world safer, smarter, and more sustainable.
• From curiosity to change: How discovery science transforms our world: Wed 12 Aug, 6-7:30pm. A panel discussion on the value of discovery science and the role of fundamental research in shaping our world.
• Little bites, large problems: managing mosquitoes to control diseases:Thurs 13 Aug, 2-3pm. Discover how mosquitos affect communities in Australia and beyond and why they remain one of the world’s most challenging public health threats.
• Advanced analysis of stone tools tells ancient stories: Mon 17 Aug, 2-3pm. Using new technologies, discover the origins and the hidden stories behind cultural artefacts belonging to indigenous communities.
• Flora, fauna and TIGRR: the past and future of biology: Thurs 18 Aug, from 5:30. Tour our Herbarium (home to 150,000 plants), Tiegs Museum with rare and exotic animals and a lab working on animal de-extinction and conservation.
• What do cow burps have to do with climate change?Thurs 20 Aug, 2-3pm. Learn how methane from cattle contributes significantly to Australia’s greenhouse gases – and the innovative strategies being developed to reduce it.