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A Week In Science – 10 May 2013

[ By James Byrne on May 10, 2013 ]
https://vimeo.com/65801294 Media coverage of this week’s stories Brain Scans can identify psychopaths even in childhood Article from Daily Mail UK Climate change killed off megafauna Article from The Australian No, really- Don’t shop when you’re hungry Article from Reuters Health DNA reveals that most Europeans are closely ... Continue Reading »

Nick Bruer

[ By James Byrne on May 7, 2013 ]
Nick developed an interest in wine as a small boy while being dragged around the cellar doors of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale by his parents in the 1970’s. He completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) at the University of Adelaide in 1985 and then joined the Australian Wine ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 3 May 2013

[ By James Byrne on May 3, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/65281819 H7N9 flu confirmed as being transmitted from birds to humans Article from The Australian Early detection of Alzheimer’s using a blood test Article from ABC News 2 doses of HPV vaccine as effective as 3 doses Article from Science Daily EU bans use of 3 ... Continue Reading »

Alchemy in a glass

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on May 1, 2013 ]
Do you love wine? Do you know why? Join us for a night of sensory indulgence and learn about one of life's great pleasures. Meet renowned winemakers, find out how wines are judged and how ‘taste’ works. You'll try six wine varieties, and learn about the processes and art that gives ... Continue Reading »

Louisa Rose

[ By James Byrne ]
Louisa Rose grew up and was educated in Melbourne, Australia, spending weekends in the popular wine region Yarra Valley, helping to establish and run the family vineyard – The Rising Vineyard near Yarra Glen. After completing a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in physics, from Melbourne University, she relocated to ... Continue Reading »

Compost chemistry and microbe management

[ By James Byrne on April 30, 2013 ]
If you have a compost bin, you are the proud parent of trillions of pets. They are called ‘microbes’, and while they won’t fetch your newspaper and slippers or purr contentedly on your lap, they can do your garden a world of good. Investing a bit of time in the ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 26 April 2013

[ By James Byrne on April 26, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/64703358 Australia’s Aboriginal population descended from just 1000-2000 original inhabitants Article from ABC Science Asthma worsened by low fibre and high fat diets Article from DailyRx Genital Warts diagnoses drop by 59% Article from Eureka Science News Marijuana pills more effective for pain ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 19 April 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on April 19, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/64290509 Ancient Hobbits had a larger brain than previously thought Article from the Royal Society Baby brains mapped to understand when they understand Article from Science Short term hearing loss is protective, not due to damage Article from Health Canal Fainting runs in ... Continue Reading »

A Week In Science – 12 April 2013

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on April 12, 2013 ]
http://vimeo.com/63801262 Fossilized dinosaur embryos give scientists a unique opportunity Article from National Geographic Fruit juice used to replace fat in chocolate Article from Huffington Post Well-preserved remains of 2 million year old human relatives found in South Africa Article from ABC Science L-carnitine contained ... Continue Reading »

Coffee – From Beans to Brewing

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on January 18, 2013 ]
It’s the 9th century, AD. Britain is experiencing an influx of Viking conquerors, for unknown reasons the Mayan Classical Era is coming to an end, the city of Dublin, Ireland is being founded and Buddhism is banned in China. At The Horn of Africa Islam is being introduced to Ethiopia ... Continue Reading »

Chemistry in a Cup

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 30, 2012 | Filed under: Uncategorized ]
Coffee - what makes it such an enjoyable beverage? Why do some people insist on a morning caffeine hit? There's a whole lot of interesting chemistry bubbling away in those cups! We traveled to Sunraysia Farmer Market to entertain you with coffee demonstration. You had a chance to meet the ... Continue Reading »

I Love Food. Don’t You?

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 4, 2012 ]
Food is an absolutely vital part of everyday life - with every morsel that passes our lips having some affect on us. We need to eat so we can have energy to function, as well as have the right amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins and other goodies to keep our ... Continue Reading »

Carole Willman

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 2, 2012 ]
Carole Willman is motivated and passionate about food, particularly, cheese. She is an experienced cheesemaker and has studied cheesemaking at the Victorian College of Agriculture and Horticulture and Food Technology at Victoria University. She co-authored Australia’s most popular cheesemaking book ‘Home Cheesemaking: The Secrets of How to Make Your Own ... Continue Reading »

Cheese: A Love Affair Through Time

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on September 28, 2012 ]
Cheese has been the basis of many culinary love affairs and many photographic memories. Cheese has a long and rich history but we are only beginning to understand its secrets. It’s more than just flavor, cheese is literally, like a drug. Brief history of cheese Today, we associate the dairy delight ... Continue Reading »

We had lots of Fun with Fungi at the Adelaide Central Market

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on September 3, 2012 ]
RiAus warmed up the lunchtime shoppers at the Adelaide Central Market with cooking demonstrations featuring edible mushrooms. Pam Tobin, from the Australian Mushroom Growers Association, and her chef entertained the crowd as they prepared two mouth-watering dishes which were offered out for taste testing. Feedback on the dishes was overwhelmingly ... Continue Reading »

Science on Tap @ Ballarat

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on August 21, 2012 | Filed under: Uncategorized ]
Brewing is one of civilisations most ancient biotechnologies. At the Ballarat Lakeside Farmers Market we saw an interactive exploration as we went beyond the bubbles to the science behind the perfect beer. We were joined by beer tasting expert Rob Greenaway and a guest boutique brewer as we delved into the ... Continue Reading »

Domestic + Science: The Science Behind Afternoon Tea

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova ]
I love baking and I love science; usually when I’m not in the lab, I can be found at home baking and decorating cakes. At first glance my profession and hobby may seem quite separate - one is usually conducted in a kitchen, the other in a lab. However science ... Continue Reading »

Population Questions

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on August 8, 2012 ]
There’s a growing school of thought that, central to so many of the problems we are facing as a species on Planet Earth today is one simple equation: there are too many people and not enough resources. The principal resource is food and the question is: How many people are ... Continue Reading »

Chocolate Coated Science @ Whittington Flamefest

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on August 3, 2012 | Filed under: Uncategorized ]
Journey into the world of chocolate at Whittington Flamefest! How much caffeine is in chocolate? Why does it sometimes go white? What’s the difference between white, milk and dark chocolate? Free Range Science teamed up with the University of Melbourne to showcase the fascinating chemistry behind one our favourite treats. We took ... Continue Reading »

Russell Smith

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on August 1, 2012 ]
Cheese Consultant and Educator Deputy Chief Judge, Australian Grand Dairy Awards Russell Smith provides cheese sensory training and cheese education for retailers, consumers, chef and restaurateurs, and the list goes on. Through his role as owner/operator of Mart Delicatessen in Canberra for over 8 years, Russell’s experience of cheese and dairy products ... Continue Reading »

Cheesy Science

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on July 31, 2012 | Filed under: Uncategorized ]
On the first weekend of October we visited the Glenrowan Winemakers' Weekend to talk Cheesy Science. On Sunday 7 October at the Taminick Cellars we presented the award winning cheeses of the Milawa Cheese Company and learned about the science involved in producing their world beating products. Carole Willam, ... Continue Reading »

Gill Joschke

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on July 26, 2012 ]
Gill's background is in secondary teaching focussing on home economics, technology, food and hospitality, community health, textiles and design. She started a catering business called “Girls with nothing better to do” in 2010 specializing in small corporate functions and private entertaining.  Food workshops and demonstrations for students and special groups are ... Continue Reading »

Cooking with Fungi (with a Fun Guy)

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on July 16, 2012 ]
When cooking with mushrooms, it’s a bit like cooking with death itself. They’re more parasite than plant and are wildly notorious for having an extremely toxic edge. But mushrooms are also delicious. They taste like meat and if you dare to dance with the devil, you will experience their sinful ... Continue Reading »

The Hips Are Getting Bigger

[ By freya on July 12, 2012 ]
"We fancy ourselves at the very apogeè of civilisation, yet we are sure we eat too much." These words, written by the French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin in 1825 in his seminal text The physiology of taste echo our predicament some 200 years later as westerners in ... Continue Reading »

Fun with Fungi 2012

[ By PeterLugg on July 3, 2012 ]
Gouger Street ETSA stage  Did you know that mushrooms are neither fruit nor vegetable? So what makes them so special? This winter RiAus warmed you up at the Central Market Gouger St kitchen with cooking demonstrations showcasing fabulous mushrooms with Gill Joschke from Girls with nothing better to do!. Nutritionally ... Continue Reading »

Cheesy Science

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on June 26, 2012 | Filed under: Uncategorized ]
Mellow and soft or sharp and crumbly – how do you like your cheese? Cheese is a versatile food that has become an important part of breakfast, lunch and dinner. We explored the flavours, colours and textures of this delicious dietary staple, and learned about how different cheeses are made. Free Range ... Continue Reading »

Synthetic meat: What do you think?

[ By freya on June 8, 2012 ]
Well, would you? Or do you think there’s something creepy or disgusting about eating a hamburger that grew in a lab, and not on a farm? It’s a good question, with bigger implications than you might think. The question is posed in a cute animation produced by RiAus. One particular ... Continue Reading »

Flavoursome and thoughtful fodder

[ By freya on April 30, 2012 ]
A thought-provoking and hunger-inducing time was had by many foodies at the Selector 'Word of Mouth' panel discussion 'All in good taste… Facts and Flavours' at Tasting Australia.  Ian Parmenter, MC, was joined by scientist and qualified chef, Associate Professor Russell Keast and consumer scientist ... Continue Reading »

Give chocolates the chop (23 April 2012) The Advertiser

[ By freya on April 23, 2012 ]
Treating a craving for food such as chocolate like an itch that will eventually go away can help overcome bad eating patterns, an Adelaide researcher says. It's one of the techniques suggested by  Dr Robyn Moffitt, whose research has included giving chocolates to groups of volunteer chocoholics who are asked not ... Continue Reading »

Feeding the world: 7 billion and counting

[ By freya on April 19, 2012 ]
It’s been said that wars of the future will be fought over not oil or terror, but food and water. The world is facing a burgeoning population, estimated by some to grow to 9 billion by the year 2050. Providing enough food for everyone is one of the greatest challenges ... Continue Reading »

Tasting Australia: Word of mouth

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on March 21, 2012 ]
The science of food was featured prominently in Tasting Australia 2012. RiAus was hosting three discussions over the weekend as part of the Word of Mouth event in Elder Park in Adelaide. Cravings… 28 April, 12:45–1:30pm Saw a panel of experts discuss the impact of the mind on the food ... Continue Reading »

Chocolate Coated Science @ Murrabit Easter Market

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on February 1, 2012 | Filed under: Uncategorized ]
At 2012 Easter Saturday market in Murrabit, Free Range Science presented Chocolate Coated Science with food scientist and chef Galit Segev. Along with interactive displays, Galit was available to talk about chocolate as well as general cooking. There were also chocolate making demonstrations happening throughout the day, at the ... Continue Reading »

Galit Segev

[ By freya on November 2, 2011 ]
Galit Segev has Master’s degree in Biochemistry and Food Science and is a qualified chef, pastry chef and chocolatier. Prior to becoming a chef she worked for over 10 years in the pharmaceutical industry. Galit is passionate about both food and science. She has blended her passions by using science ... Continue Reading »

Beer Science at Bairnsdale Show (31 October 2011)

[ By freya on October 31, 2011 ]
You might love a cold beer, but how often do you spare a thought for the science behind its creation? As well as being the world’s most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, beer is one of the oldest biotechnologies. Bairnsdale locals will have the chance to learn everything they ever wanted to ... Continue Reading »

Getting to the meat of it – the ethics of synthetic meat

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on October 7, 2011 ]
"Yeast vats, fungal mats and algae ponds" is how Isaac Asimov imagined food would have to be produced to feed the large population of the future. These micro-organisms would be used to produce synthetic food which would then be artificially flavoured. Only the rich would have access to food like ... Continue Reading »

Rebecca McPhan

[ By freya on October 4, 2011 ]
Rebecca McPhan is Food Safety Officer for Frais Farms. Her primary responsibility is to ensure the product is safe for the consumer to eat, as well as making sure the product meets customer specifications. Her tasks include conducting audits, inspecting raw material as it arrives and completing audits ... Continue Reading »

Science on tap @ Bairnsdale

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on September 23, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized ]
The world's oldest biotechnology Brewing is one of civilisation’s most ancient biotechnologies. Those who love a good brew joined us at Bairnsdale Show for an interactive exploration beyond the bubbles to the science behind the perfect beer. We were joined by internationally renowned beer expert Rob Greenaway, and Jeremy Halse, head ... Continue Reading »

Fizzle & pop: Chemistry @ East Bairnsdale

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on September 12, 2011 | Filed under: Uncategorized ]
Our team pitched their tent as part of the Community Family Fun Day, hosted by Quantum Support Services. We entertained you with science demos that went fizzle and pop and workshops that got your hands dirty. Who knew chemistry would be this much fun? We were also joined by scientist and ... Continue Reading »

Wonder crop or slippery slope? (5 July 2011)

[ By freya on July 5, 2011 ]
The battle over Genetically Modified crops has been a long and difficult debate between farmers, scientists and environment groups. Last year more than 36,000 hectares of Genetically Modified canola was planted in Victoria yet Australia’s biggest grain traders say they still have no plans to take GM crops. “The amount of available ... Continue Reading »

John Prescott

[ By freya on July 1, 2011 ]
John Prescott is an Associate Professor in psychology at University of Newcastle in Australia, and former Director of the Sensory Science Research Centre (University of Otago, New Zealand) and Sensory Research Centre (CSIRO, Australia). He received his doctorate from the University of New South Wales, Australia in 1986. He has ... Continue Reading »

Dana Cordell

[ By freya on June 22, 2011 ]
Research Principal, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, at the University of Technology Sydney where she undertakes and leads research projects on sustainable resource futures. Dr. Cordell co-founded the Global Phosphorus Research Initiative (GPRI) and public website www.phosphorusfutures.net in 2008 with colleagues in Sweden and ... Continue Reading »

Peter Langridge

[ By freya ]
Chief Executive Officer of The Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics. ACPFG’s CEO, Professor Peter Langridge, is on the Advisory Boards of the European Union BioExploit and TriticeaeGenome Programs, the Australian Research Council Centre for Integrative Legume Research, the National Science Foundation Wheat D-Genome Program in the USA and the IBERS ... Continue Reading »

Fascinating Fungi

[ By freya on June 1, 2011 ]
Do you like eating mushroom omelettes and camembert, have you taken penicillin to cure an infection, or do you have a backyard compost bin? If you do any of these things, then you must be a fungi lover! Fungi are multi-skilled – they can break down nutrients in soil, produce antibiotics, ... Continue Reading »

A night of chocolate at RiAus

[ By Petra Dzurovcinova on March 16, 2011 ]
Love chocolate? Tonight at RiAus the spotlight is on gluttony and chocolate addictions. It’s sold out, but you can watch the livestream  from 6:00pm Adelaide time and have your own chocolate tastings at home. Brendan Somerville from Haigh’s will talk about what makes chocolate so good. Chocolate has ... Continue Reading »

Fun with fungi @ Adelaide Showground Farmers Market

[ By freya on March 11, 2011 ]
Science Outside the Square presents... Fun with Fungi. At the Market Demo Kitchen we explored the secret life of mushrooms and fungi. What are they, where do they come from, how do they grow and what is it about them that’s so good for us? Related Content Read a blog post ... Continue Reading »
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