Mind blowing science - National Science Week

Saturday 9 August to Sunday 17 August 2025 is National Science Week in Australia, so it’s time to blow your mind with five fun and fascinating fast facts about different types of science, some mind-blowing recent discoveries in science, a few different voices sharing their favourite mind-blowing science, and an activity that’s oozing with science for you to try yourself at home.

 

Presented by Jenny Lynch and Matilda Sercombe. Written and produced by Jenny Lynch. Music by Purple Planet Music. Sound effects by Pixabay.

 

Creative Science: https://www.creativescience.com.au

Facebook: @creativescienceaustralia

Instagram: @creative_science_australia

 

National Science Week

Find free resources and National Science Week events happening near you:

https://www.scienceweek.net.au/

 

DIY Science activities: https://www.scienceweek.net.au/diy-science/

See Creative Science live on stage at these Sydney events:

Saturday 9 August 2025, Sydney Science Trail at the Australian Museum 

Sunday 10 August 2025, Science in the Scrub at Western Sydney Parklands

Sunday 17 August 2025, Science in the Swamp at Centennial Park

Thanks to Inspiring Australia NSW for helping us connect with special guests:

Eylem Altuntas, Developmental Psychologist, Western Sydney University

Jinx Moore, Medical Research Scientist, University of Technology Sydney

Dr Patrick Capon, Science Communicator, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood

Dr Alison Gould, Science Communicator, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood

Kira Lowe, PhD Candidate, University of Wollongong

Kenya Fernandes, Microbiologist, University of Sydney

Alicia Haines, Forensic Biologist, University of Technology Sydney

 

Episode content:

00:00 Introduction and fast facts

4:30 New discoveries in science

6:10 Special guests with mind blowing ideas

9:20 Elephant toothpaste activity

 

Elephant toothpaste activity instructions:

You will need: A measuring cup, some warm water, a small jug, a teaspoon of dry yeast, a small plastic drink bottle, some dishwashing liquid, and a few drops of food colouring.

You will also need about 100 millilitres of 3% hydrogen peroxide.

Ask an adult if you have any at home or you can find it at a pharmacy.

Be careful when using the 3% hydrogen peroxide because it can stain clothes and other material, and you might like to wear gloves to protect your hands.

 

This activity is pretty messy so you should do it on a tray next to the kitchen sink or in a sheltered outside area.

 

1. Use the measuring cup to add about 50 millilitres of warm water to the small jug.
2. Add one teaspoon of dry yeast to the warm water, stir it gently, and leave it to sit for 5 or 10 minutes to ‘activate’ the yeast. You will know when it’s ready because there will be bubbles on top of the water.
3. While you’re waiting for the yeast mixture to bubble, use the measuring cup to add about 100 millilitres of 3% hydrogen peroxide to the plastic bottle.
4. Add a big squirt of detergent and a few drops of food colouring to the bottle and swirl the bottle to mix the liquids.

NOTE: If you want to make a video or take a photo of the Elephant Toothpaste reaction, get ready now before you do the next step, because the reaction will happen quickly.

5. Pour the yeast mixture from the jug into the bottle, step back and see what happens. You should see bubbly foam oozing up and out of the bottle.

 

The chemical formula for hydrogen peroxide is H2O2 and you might notice that it is made up of hydrogen and oxygen atoms, just like water, which has the chemical formula H2O. Hydrogen peroxide slowly breaks down to turn into water and oxygen gas.

Yeast contains a chemical called ‘catalase’ which speeds up this reaction. The bubbles you see in the Elephant Toothpaste are bubbles of oxygen gas made by the hydrogen peroxide breaking down. Hydrogen peroxide can cause damage to the cells in living things, like us humans and the yeast used in this activity, so many living things make the chemical ‘catalase’ to get rid of hydrogen peroxide.