Double Helix

Looking for seriously fun science, technology, engineering, and maths news for your curious kids or tech-talented teens? We've got you covered! Inside every issue you'll find articles, activities, puzzles, comics, and prizes galore. Perfect reading for enquiring minds, CSIRO's Double Helix magazine is packed with news, features, fun experiments, giveaways and more. Each issue focuses on a different theme, from smells to spaceships and beyond! With clear language and eye-catching design, the content promotes critical thinking, strengthens literacy skills and is the perfect fuel to spark or sustain an interest in STEM. Double Helix is published eight times a year. It is ideal for 8 to 13-year-olds and enjoyed by older readers as well.

Double Helix

HELIX HQ

ON THE DOUBLE

STOPPING RUBBISH FROM THE START

A FABULOUS FUTURE FOR FABRICS

KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR CARS

BY THE NUMBERS: ALGAE

TAKING THE STINK OUT OF NAPPIES

PLASTIC DIAMONDS

TREE HUGGERS

SUSTAINABILITY SQUAD • Protecting the environment isn’t just for scientists and grown-ups. Anyone can help, and our Sustainability Squad can show you how. You can learn from these Double Helix readers and be an everyday hero, too!

The Woppaburra Coral Project

WHAT IS PLASTIC?

PLASTIC MUNCHERS

THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY • HUMANS USE WAY TOO MUCH PLASTIC, AND WE PUT MUCH TOO MUCH INTO LANDFILL. A SIMPLE SYSTEM CALLED A CIRCULAR ECONOMY COULD HELP US PLAN BETTER FOR THE FUTURE.

SAVING SOFT PLASTICS • From biscuit wrappers to cling films and plastic bags, we are surrounded by soft plastics. Unfortunately, they’re hard to recycle. The chemicals in soft plastic don’t recycle well. And because they’re so soft, the plastics can easily jam recycling machines. But there are ways to make soft plastic recycling work.

POSTER

Rocks, Fossils and Formations: Discoveries Through Time

Sustainable Planet: How respecting the Earth is protecting our future (and what you can do to help)

TIME-TRAVELLING SHED

DIMMING DAYLIGHT • HELLO HUMANS! GAIL LEXY HERE, GETTING READY FOR THE DAYLIGHT TO DIM.

LITTER-ALLY RUBBISH • SOMETIMES THE BEST WAY TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT IS TO GRAB A SCRAP OF PAPER AND DO A QUICK CALCULATION. SCIENTISTS CALL THESE ’BACK OF THE ENVELOPE’ CALCULATIONS. GET YOUR ENVELOPE READY!

WHAT’S YOUR QUESTION?

THE PLASTIC ROBOT AND THE SEA

PAPER PLANT POTS • RAISING PLANT SEEDS OFTEN MEANS USING PLASTIC SEED-STARTER CONTAINERS, BUT NOT ALWAYS! IN THIS ACTIVITY, YOU WILL FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE A MINI PLANT POT USING SCRAP PAPER.

BEESWAX WRAPS • NEED TO COVER SOME LEFTOVERS AFTER DINNER, BUT DON’T WANT TO USE PLASTIC CLING WRAP? YOU NEED A BEESWAX WRAP!

BUILD A TREE-FROG HOTEL • IN THIS ACTIVITY, YOU’LL DESIGN AND BUILD A HOTEL FOR FROGS! IT’S A GREAT WAY TO ENCOURAGE TREE FROGS TO VISIT YOUR GARDEN.

MAKE IT COMIC

PUZZLES

PRIZES