Free Range Science

What’s the deal with nanotechnology?  What’s the secret to kicking a perfect goal?  Why does good food taste great?  If you’ve ever wondered about the big – or small – questions, then Free Range Science is for you.

The RiAus Free Range Science project will be bringing science and scientists out of the lab and into the towns of regional Victoria.  Designed specifically for people without a science background, Free Range Science puts you directly in touch with the people who research, design, create and use the sciences and technologies which power our lives.

Nanotechnology - the future is small

Nanotechnology – what is it? For some it’s nothing new. For others, the word conjures up images of a sci-fi future. So what’s the big fuss about?

Nanotechnology is the science of small things. Really, really small things. Perhaps the simplest definition is it involves engineering at the scale of billionths of a meter – a million times smaller than the head of a pin.

But nanotechnology is already all around you if you know where to look; in everyday items such as car parts, cosmetics and sunscreen, tennis rackets and stain-proof clothes.  In the future it might mean miniature medical robots exploring your body or hordes of self-replicating devices taking over the world.

Join Francesca Calati (Latrobe University) and Dr Erol Harvey (MiniFAB), for an entertaining hands-on exploration of the real life science behind nanotechnology.  Take part in hands-on ‘The Nanotube Challenge’ and discover the answers to some big questions about very small worlds.


This event is free of charge but booking is required.