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Go Figure

Are you a mosquito magnet? Here’s why and what you can do about it

Some people just seem to attract mosquitoes, but what’s the science behind it? Beer might have something to do with it

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Go Figure

Have you ever wondered? We will take the mystery out of everyday life by solving conundrums that you have always pondered.

  1. 7 July 2016 – Colour , Light, Solar Cells, Solar Power

    How energy is hidden in colours

    There is a reason roses are red, and we can use this knowledge to create super-efficient, flexible and printable solar panels to power a renewable future

  2. 6 June 2016 – Brain, Memory, Psychology, Senses, Smell

    Why smells trigger your memories

    Smell is very powerful at evoking memories, and while we don't know why it may be because we aren't good at it so that when we do pick a smell, we don't forget.

  3. 27 May 2016 – Bioscience, Botany, Plants, Sunflowers

    How sunflowers track the sun

    An internal clock drives the daily dance of these plants, even though their movement was once put down to a mythological Greek love story.

  4. 2 May 2016 – Gender, Human Behaviour , Popular Culture , Sociology

    Why boys are blue and girls are pink

    Ever wondered why pink represents girls and boys generally identify with the colour blue? Centuries ago it was a very different story.

  5. 15 April 2016 – Australian Federal Elections, Australian Politics, Elections, United States, Voting

    Why Australians are made to vote

    The real secret to how and why Australia adopted compulsory voting was simplicity, say University of Melbourne experts – simply no-one was opposed to the idea.

  6. 8 April 2016 – Body Clock, Circadian Rhythms, Psychology, Sleep

    Scaring the daylights out of our body clocks

    You can blame our internal body clocks for any daylight savings lethargy you may feel, but sleep experts say there are ways to minimise the damage.

  7. 24 March 2016 – Chemistry, Chocolate, Food

    So you think you know chocolate?

    By name and by nature, chocolate is worshipped the world over. But what is it, how is it made, and why do we love it so much? Here’s chemistry to explain.

  8. 11 March 2016 – Animal Behaviour, Biology, Evolution

    Some newborns hit the ground running – and why others don’t

    Giraffes start running with the herd the same day they are born but humans can take a year or more just to start walking. The answer is economic.

  9. 19 February 2016 – Agriculture, Bioscience, Botany, Plants, Weeds

    A weed by any other name

    University of Melbourne researchers explain what makes a plant a weed in some circumstance – and how introduced species are part of the solution.

  10. 5 February 2016 – Anatomy, Evolution, Human Evolution, Tails, Tiegs Museum

    Why don’t humans have tails?

    Here's why humans lost their tails in the great evolutionary journey, even though animals have many uses for them, says a University of Melbourne expert