Imagine This

ABC Australia

Imagine This is a science podcast for the young and curious. Have you ever wondered how bees make honey? Or how do fish breathe underwater? Or, very importantly, where your poo goes when you flush it down the toilet? Imagine This is a series of puzzling science questions from inquisitive young minds. Our host, Dr Niraj Lal, chats to kids and Australia's leading academics, taking you on imaginative adventures to learn about the world around us and find the answers together.

This podcast is suited to kids aged 4 and up, though all members of the family are sure to learn something!

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26 episodes
weekly
Avg 13 min
English

Episodes 26

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Yesterday · 15 min
How do ears work?
Tom and Mackenzie want to know, how do our ears work? And Harry asks, how are sounds made and how does it get to our ears? Nij and the kids are rocking out at band practice and it’s getting pretty noisy! How are we making all this sound? And how is it getting inside our ears? Lucky Dr Viji Easwar has joined the band to help us ride the soundwaves and find out how hearing actually works! Surf’s up! For more great kids podcasts, download the free ABC listen app (Australia). There you’ll find
September 22 · 15 min
How is metal made?
Cash, Ben, Jonathan and Harriet all want to know, how is metal made? And Henry asks, why does metal feel colder than other stuff? Hear ye, hear ye! Knight Nij is about to make his debut at the medieval fair until disaster strikes… His steel sword broke in half! He can’t fight dragons like this… We’re off to visit blacksmith and metallurgist Dr Matthew Humbert to see if he can help fix Nij’s sword and teach us how metal is made… Things are about to get hotter than a dragon’s mouth! For mo
September 15 · 16 min
How does food turn into poo?
Bridie wants to know, how does food turns into poo? Sam asks, how is poo made? Nathan and Lachlan want to know why do we poo? And Ollie is wondering, why do tummies grumble? Nij and the kids are at an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet! We’re having waffles and hot chips… Fruit salad and sushi bowls! Until a giant crashes the queue… Fi fi fo fum the buffet is closed... Now get in my tum! With the help of research dietitian Dr Georgina Williams, we’re getting swallowed by a giant to follow the digestive
August 23 · length unknown
Your favourite podcasts now have a new home on ABC listen!
From next week, the ABC kids listen app will be closed. ABC kids listen radio and podcasts are packing up and moving over to the ABC listen app. There you’ll find a kids’ tab where you can create your very own kids’ profile and pick a fun avatar! Look out for brand new episodes of your favourite podcasts like Dino Dome and Imagine This coming in September! For awesome podcasts to play, music to move to and stories and soundtracks for sleep, ask your grown-up to head to the kids’ tab on the
August 18 · 12 min
Science Week: Why are worms good for the garden?
To celebrate Science Week we're unearthing a special episode of Gardening Australia Junior! The theme of this year's Science Week is 'Seeds of Science: Nurturing knowledge for all'. They're not just talking about planting seeds in the ground. It’s about planting seeds of curiosity too! Every great scientific discovery starts with wondering about the world around us... Why is the sky blue? Why do apples fall from trees? What’s hiding underneath our feet? Join Costa, Nij and the Gardening Austr
July 21 · 12 min
FAN FAVE: How does the sun light up the world?
We're having so much fun listening back through your all-time favourite Imagine This episodes! This one sure was illuminating! The Sun is hot and bright, it helps plants grow and keeps us warm. But did you know, the Sun is also a star? How come there are so many tiny, twinkling stars at night and just one sun lighting up the world in the day time? Let's blast off into outer space with Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith for a closer look at our closest star. If you have a request or want to ask a new
July 20 · length unknown
ABC Kids listen is moving!
ABC Kids listen radio and podcasts are about to have a brand-new home! We’re packing up and moving over to the ABC listen app. There you’ll find a kids’ tab where you can create your very own kids’ profile and pick a fun avatar! For awesome podcasts to play, music to move to and stories and soundtracks for sleep, ask your grown-up to head to the kids’ tab on the ABC listen app. You can download it free from your app store. If you have any questions relating to this change, more informatio
July 14 · 14 min
FAN FAVE: How are seeds made?
We're digging through the archives and picking all your old faves. This one was no garden-variety adventure... If plants come from seeds but seeds come from plants then how do you get a seed to start off with? Nij and the kids meet ecologist Professor Angela Moles for a bushwalk to find some answers... If you have a request or want to ask a new question... Drop us a line at imaginethis@abc.net.au Keep questioning! For more great kids podcasts, download the free ABC listen app (Australia). T
July 7 · 13 min
FAN FAVE: How are rainbows made?
We're looking back at some of your all-time favourite Imagine This episodes. Nij is the guest scientist and the kids take the lead in this colourful adventure to learn all about the science of rainbows... We can see them after a sun shower... or the spray of the sprinkler... we can even sing them! But why can't we ever catch them? Nij shares the ingredients to make a rainbow in this special episode of Imagine This... If you have a request or want to ask a new question... Drop us a line at i
June 30 · 12 min
FAN FAVE: How do fish breathe underwater?
The Imaginarium has been inundated with requests for some of your favourite episodes! Let's dive in... Up here on land, we breathe air into our lungs but how do fish breathe underwater? Is there air in the sea? Do fish have lungs like us? Let’s head to the beach with Dr Nij to meet marine biologist Tooni Mahto and find out how fish and other sea creatures live underwater. If you have a request or want to ask a new question... Drop us a line at imaginethis@abc.net.au Keep questioning! F
June 23 · 13 min
FAN FAVE: Why do farts come out of your bum?
We've been spring cleaning the Imaginarium and have come across some old favourites! This golden oldie's a gas... literally! Today we're talking about something that all of us do. They can be loud or soft, sometimes smelly and almost always funny. We're talking about fluffs, toots, air biscuits - yes, farts! - and why they come out of our bums. Join Professor Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh as we shrink to fit inside his gas-smelling capsule to follow the journey of gas in our bodies. For more gr
May 12 · 14 min
How is soil made?
Evie wants to know, "How is soil made?" Soil is everywhere but where does it come from? And why does it get treated like dirt? Nij and the kids team up with Dr Samantha Grover from the Soil-Atmosphere-Anthroposphere Lab at RMIT University. Together they'll journey deep underground to learn all about the connections between soil, the environment, and people! For more great kids podcasts, download the free ABC listen app (Australia). There you’ll find more kids news podcasts, educational c
May 5 · 14 min
What makes food spicy?
Jamie wants to know, "What makes food spicy?" and Jacob asks, "Where does spice come from, how is it made and why does milk help?" Let's follow the flavours that tickle our tastebuds with sensory scientist Professor Heather Smyth. Nij and the kids will learn all about how taste works and why spiciness packs such a punch! For more great kids podcasts, download the free ABC listen app (Australia). There you’ll find more kids news podcasts, educational children’s stories and storytelling, podc
April 28 · 14 min
How do engines make cars move?
Frankie and Timothy would like to know, "How do cars work?" Levi wants to know "How do different types of cars get power?" Arija is curious "How do engines makes cars move? Connor and Rory want to know, "How does a hybrid car work?" And Sam wants to know, "How do vehicles go?" Let's catch a ride with Professor Shawn Kook from the UNSW Engine Research Lab to learn about different types of engines, how they make wheels spin and cars move! For more great kids podcasts, download the fre
April 21 · 15 min
How do babies grow inside a tummy?
Today's question was sent in by a LOT of you! Lizzie, Reuben, Archie, Mack and Ruth would like to know 'How do babies grow in a mummy's tummy?', Luana wants to know "Why do babies have blood on them when they're born?" and Grayson and Mackenzie want to know, 'How are babies really made?" Follow Nij and the kids along with Professor Tu'uhevaha Kaitu'u-Lino as we imagine ourselves inside a uterus to see how babies grow inside the body... For more great kids podcasts, download the free ABC
April 14 · 13 min
Why do we yawn?
We often think of yawning as something that happens when we're tired but the answer is much more mysterious. Nij and the kids meet Dr Kathleen Maddison at the Centre for Sleep Science for an adventure that starts all the way back in caveman times! For more great kids podcasts, download the free ABC listen app (Australia). There you’ll find more kids news podcasts, educational children’s stories and storytelling, podcasts from your favourite characters like Bluey and Hey Duggee and plenty mo
Dec 9, 2025 · 15 min
Why do we need sunscreen and how does it work?
We all know it’s important to use sunscreen in the hot Australian sun, but what exactly is sunscreen? And how does it work? Nij and the kids are joined by dermatologist Professor Pablo Fernández-Peñas for a slippery, summery and sparkling journey.
Dec 2, 2025 · 13 min
What is snot and why do we have it?
It's time to get nosy as we answer: What is snot? What are boogers? How is snot made and why do we have it? Nij and the kids join Associate Professor Kim Murphy on a slimy slip and slide through some giant nostrils.
Nov 25, 2025 · 14 min
Why is there dew on everything in the morning?
The grass is wet, but there’s been no rain, and the skies are clear... What explains the dampness covering everything on a cool morning? It's called dew! Meteorologist and ABC weather presenter Nate Byrne joins Nij and the kids to explain what exactly dew is, and where it comes from.
Nov 18, 2025 · 14 min
How do magnets work?
Nij is out of fridge magnets and discovers they can't be replaced by just any piece of metal. What gives magnets their power to pull and push, and how do they stick to things? Nij and the kids get the answer from physicist Dr Cathy Foley, who explains how magnets work and why they're so special.

Showing 1–20 of 26 episodes