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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64 episodes
Updated July 21

Episodes64

Newest first

May 20, 2025 · 14 min
How is glass made?
We see glass every day, we see right through it! It’s in our windows and our fridges, our cars and our devices… But how do you make all this hard, clear stuff? Pack your bags, we’re off to Ancient Egypt to find the answers!
May 13, 2025 · 15 min
Do we control our feelings or do they control us?
Some days we can feel happy and other times we can feel sad or frustrated, or downright angry! Where do all these different feelings come from and why do we feel them? Nij and the kids meet Dr Pete Koval at the F.E.E.L. lab to learn more…
May 6, 2025 · 15 min
How do snakes and spiders make venom?
Step right up for the Tiny Tour of Toxins! Nij and the kids trek through the Aussie bush and go on an underwater adventure with venom expert Dr Timothy Jackson to explore the world of venomous animals...
Aug 20, 2024 · 14 min
What is phone reception and why do my parents lose it?
We use phones a lot – to call our friends, message our grandparents, play games, follow maps… But what happens when our phones stop working? When the page doesn’t load or the call drops out? Nij and the kids meet Dr Shaghik Atakaramians to learn about this mysterious ‘reception’ and why it sometimes gets ‘lost’.
Aug 13, 2024 · 15 min
Why do we get older?
Every year we get older… we have birthday parties and eat cake but what is happening in our bodies? Why do we get taller and grow more teeth? And why do we eventually stop growing? Nij and the kids meet Dr Lindsay Wu to follow the microscopic lives of our cells and how we grow as we get older
Aug 6, 2024 · 13 min
Why is the sea salty?
More than half our planet is covered in seawater. There are about six teaspoons of salt in every litre. So, where did it all come from? Nij and the kids meet Dr Katharina Fabricius to follow the journey of salty seawater and their first stop is… the clouds?
Jul 30, 2024 · 14 min
What are rocks made of?
Rocks are all around us… they’re in the garden, on the road, in the bush and all our waterways... But how did they all get there? And what are they made of? Nij and the kids meet Dr Heather Handley in her subterranean submarine 'Velma' and venture into a volcano for answers….
Jul 23, 2024 · 13 min
How do chickens make eggs?
If you need an egg to make a chicken, then where did the first egg come from? Nij and the kids meet Professor Kate Buchanan to learn about how chickens make eggs... and which came first!
Dec 19, 2023 · 13 min
How are rainbows made?
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...
Dec 19, 2023 · 14 min
Who was the first person in the world?
Family trees have so many branches. You're on one branch, your parents on another, your grandparents on another and great grandparents after that... Could it go all the way back to the first person? Let's ask archaeologist Associate Professor Michelle Langley about how humans came to be...
Dec 19, 2023 · 12 min
How do snails get their shells?
Let's follow the slimy, shiny trail down the garden path all the way to... the Snail Whisperers! Drs John and Lorelle Stanisic will show us the secret lives of snails and how they get their famous spiral shells.
Dec 19, 2023 · 13 min
How is fabric made?
Fabric is everywhere. It's on the bus seat and the welcome mat... It's the curtains and the carpet... it's our snugly blankets and beloved teddies... and all our clothes! But what is it all made from? And how? Join textiles expert Emma Peters as we follow the journey of cotton from field to fabric.
Dec 19, 2023 · 13 min
Why do we have to brush our teeth?
Every morning and every night we have to get the toothpaste and our toothbrushes and clean our teeth... But why? Let's visit dentist Dr Mihiri Silva for a check up and learn why it's so important to look after our teeth.
Jun 20, 2023 · 15 min
How did the universe start?
The universe is the biggest and oldest thing there is. It's every bit of everything that has ever existed. But what was there before there was anything? Nij and the kids meet Nobel Prize winning astrophysicist Professor Brian Schmidt to journey back to the beginning of everything to see how it all began....
Jun 20, 2023 · 14 min
How did animals become pets?
Purring pussycats and panting pups... Pretty parrots and even fluffy farm animals... Our furry friends make our lives better in so many ways but how did this friendship start? Nij and the kids meet anthrozoologist Professor Pauleen Bennett to journey back in time to meet humankind's first pet...
Jun 20, 2023 · 14 min
How do lights light up?
As the sun sets and the sky gets dark, something else starts to happen... The lights come on! There are lots of different kinds of lights but what's happening inside an LED light bulb? Nij and the kids meet physicist Professor Chennupati Jagadish to shine a light on this tricky question...
Jun 20, 2023 · 14 min
How are seeds made?
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...
Jun 20, 2023 · 14 min
Why do we have to sleep?
At the end of each day, your arms and legs feel heavy and your eyes begin to close, your mouth stretches open to do a big yawn and you drift off to sleep.... But why? Nij and the kids meet Dr Jasneek Chawla to figure out what makes us sleep and why we have to!
Dec 6, 2022 · 14 min
How is plastic made?
It's in supermarkets and schools, computers and cars... plastic is just about everywhere! But what is it actually made from? And how do you make it? Grab your lab coats and safety goggles because we're off to meet Professor Veena Sahajwalla to find some answers...
Dec 6, 2022 · 13 min
How do birds fly?
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a bird expert IN a plane! Let's soar the skies with pilot and zoologist Milly Formby as she shows us how birds fly.

Imagine This

How is glass made?

Do we control our feelings or do they control us?

How do snakes and spiders make venom?

What is phone reception and why do my parents lose it?

Why do we get older?

Why is the sea salty?

What are rocks made of?

How do chickens make eggs?

How are rainbows made?

Who was the first person in the world?

How do snails get their shells?

How is fabric made?

Why do we have to brush our teeth?

How did the universe start?

How did animals become pets?

How do lights light up?

How are seeds made?

Why do we have to sleep?

How is plastic made?

How do birds fly?