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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. 22 January 2016 – Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Turbulence

    How sharks can help combat air turbulence

    Researchers are looking to sharks for inspiration on how to make our air travel smoother, greener and more efficient.

  2. 15 January 2016 – Environmental Design, Human Behaviour , Queues

    Now we know: Why we stand in queues

    Queueing is an everyday social norm, governed by unspoken rules promoting efficiency and equality – and why queue jumpers make us really angry.

  3. 18 December 2015 – Diamonds

    Diamonds: the hard facts

    Discover the science behind our favourite piece of bling: the diamond.

  4. 18 December 2015 – Atmospheric Science, Earth Sciences, Extreme weather, cyclone

    The science behind these big monsters

    How tropical cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons form and why climate change is reducing their number but increasing their power

  5. 11 December 2015 – Earth Sciences, Ecosystems, Tree Bark, Trees

    What is tree bark?

    Ever wondered why bark is brown, not green? It's all about the chemical compounds.

  6. 7 December 2015 – Flies, Mosquitoes , Summer

    Why flies and mosquitoes are irritating little pests

    Summer is here and so are the little buzzing flyers that make your life around the BBQ a misery. This is why they love you so much.

  7. 29 November 2015 – Bioengineering, Biomolecular Engineering, Chemical engineering, Conditioner, Shampoo

    Shampoo and conditioner – it’s all froth and bubble

    Advertisements for shampoo and conditioner promise the earth, but do they really do the job once you're standing in the shower?

  8. 23 November 2015 – Atmospheric Science, Cloud Formation, Earth Sciences, Thunderstorms

    Big white clouds are light and fluffy right? Wrong!

    If you think clouds are big, white and fluffy then you are wrong. And you'd be surprised at how much they weigh, says a University of Melbourne researcher.

  9. 6 November 2015 – Animal Behaviour, Penguins

    How do penguins find their mate in a sea of tuxedos?

    They might look the same, but penguins use a variety of methods to find their families without too much fuss, even in a colony of tens of thousands.

  10. 30 October 2015 – Earthquake, Erosion, Geology, Infrastructure, Urban Design

    Sinkholes: What on earth’s happening?

    It might seem sinkholes are opening up everywhere, but a University of Melbourne scientist says it’s down to a mix of factors, from geology to human behaviour.