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Imagine This

ABC Australia

Imagine This

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.

Parent info: Imagine This is recommended for ages under 5 and 6-10. It's an Episodic show that can be listened to in any order. Made in Australia, it's about Science and Nature for kids. Launched in 2021, it has 1 season.

There are 61 episodes

Episodes
The most recent appears first.

  • FAN FAVE: How are rainbows made?

    13 min 7 July 2026

    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...…

  • FAN FAVE: How do fish breathe underwater?

    12 min 30 June 2026

    The Imaginarium has been inundated with requests for some of your favourite episodes! Let's dive in...…

  • FAN FAVE: Why do farts come out of your bum?

    13 min 23 June 2026

    We've been spring cleaning the Imaginarium and have come across some old favourites! This golden oldie's a gas... literally!…

  • How is soil made?

    14 min 12 May 2026

    Evie wants to know, "How is soil made?"…

  • What makes food spicy?

    14 min 5 May 2026

    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?"…

  • How do engines make cars move?

    14 min 28 April 2026

    Frankie and Timothy would like to know, "How do cars work?"…

  • How do babies grow inside a tummy?

    15 min 21 April 2026

    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, '…

  • Why do we yawn?

    13 min 14 April 2026

    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!…

  • Why do we need sunscreen and how does it work?

    15 min 9 December 2025

    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.

  • What is snot and why do we have it?

    13 min 2 December 2025

    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.

  • Why is there dew on everything in the morning?

    14 min 25 November 2025

    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!…

  • How do magnets work?

    14 min 18 November 2025

    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 magn…

  • What are nits and why do they make us itch?

    12 min 11 November 2025

    Nij has nits! But what are nits, and why do they make us itch? Medical entomologist Cameron Webb and the kids comb through Nij's head for a close-up look.

  • Imagine This x Gardening Australia Junior: Why are worms good for the garden?

    10 min 6 November 2025

    Imagine This host Dr Nij joins Costa and the Gardening Australia Junior crew to find out why worms are so good for the garden.

  • BONUS: Black Holes in the Imaginarium

    10 min 12 August 2025

    To celebrate Science Week, we're heading back to space with Dr Kirsten Banks to learn about something very powerful and mysterious.... Black holes!

  • How are stars made?

    15 min 3 June 2025

    Twinkle twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are…. No, really – what are stars made of and how did they get all the way up there in the sky? Let’s find out more with astrophysicist, Dr Kirsten Banks! Get ready to blast off in 5, 4, 3, 2 1!

  • How does water turn into wee?

    14 min 27 May 2025

    If you don’t drink water, urine trouble! It’s a wee-lly important thing to stay healthy. So how do our bodies turn this clear water into yellow pee? Nij and the kids meet Dr Sradha Kotwal to follow the journey through our bodies from water to wee!

  • How is glass made?

    14 min 20 May 2025

    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!

  • Do we control our feelings or do they control us?

    15 min 13 May 2025

    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…

  • How do snakes and spiders make venom?

    15 min 6 May 2025

    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...

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

    14 min 20 August 2024

    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 mys…

  • Why do we get older?

    15 min 13 August 2024

    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 cell…

  • Why is the sea salty?

    13 min 6 August 2024

    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?

  • What are rocks made of?

    14 min 30 July 2024

    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 volca…

  • How do chickens make eggs?

    13 min 23 July 2024

    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!

  • How are rainbows made?

    13 min 19 December 2023

    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...

  • Who was the first person in the world?

    14 min 19 December 2023

    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 …

  • How do snails get their shells?

    12 min 19 December 2023

    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.

  • How is fabric made?

    13 min 19 December 2023

    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 …

  • Why do we have to brush our teeth?

    13 min 19 December 2023

    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.

  • How did the universe start?

    15 min 20 June 2023

    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 beg…

  • How did animals become pets?

    14 min 20 June 2023

    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 t…

  • How do lights light up?

    14 min 20 June 2023

    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 li…

  • How are seeds made?

    14 min 20 June 2023

    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...

  • Why do we have to sleep?

    14 min 20 June 2023

    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!

  • How is plastic made?

    14 min 6 December 2022

    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 answer…

  • How do birds fly?

    13 min 6 December 2022

    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.

  • Why aren't there big animals like dinosaurs anymore?

    14 min 6 December 2022

    Are you ready to turn back time? Let's wind back the clock with Dino Dome's Fact-o-saurus, Tim Richards, and follow in some ginormous footsteps to learn how dinosaurs got so big!

  • Why do the tides go in and out?

    12 min 6 December 2022

    Sometimes a beach can look full to the brim, other times the sand seems to go for miles. Is the water going somewhere else? Why does it change throughout the day? Let's find Associate Professor Ana Vila-Concejo to find the answers in some stellar places...

  • How does my skin heal?

    14 min 6 December 2022

    Nij has taken a tumble and has grazed his elbow! It stings and there's a little bit of blood. Ouch! Time for a check-up from Dr Greg Kelly. He's going to show us all the millions of helpers that work together to heal your skin.

  • Introducing... Noisy by Nature!

    1 min Season 1 Promo 7 November 2022

    New Imagine This is coming very soon, but while you wait check out the latest season of Noisy by Nature with our fave nature nerd Dr Ann Jones!

  • BONUS: Marine Biology in the Imaginarium

    9 min 20 September 2022

    Nij is taking the Imaginarium under the sea and doing a deep dive on all your ocean questions with marine biologist Tooni Mahto!

  • Introducing... Dino Dome!

    2 min Season 1 Promo 27 July 2022

    While you wait for more Imagine This, sink your teeth into roarsome new podcast Dino Dome! It's a Mesozoic mashup of science facts and dino-mite action hosted by Tim Richards and Amanda Shalala. New episodes out every Thursday.

  • How do caterpillars turn into butterflies?

    14 min 14 June 2022

    A caterpillar hatches from an egg on a leaf and starts to munch munch munch. It grows bigger and bigger and then something amazing happens… but it’s not what you think! Join Professor Myron Zalucki, Nij and the kids as they imagine themselves as ladybugs to le…

  • Why do farts come out of your bum?

    13 min 14 June 2022

    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 …

  • How does the sun light up the world?

    11 min 14 June 2022

    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…

  • How did people come up with words?

    13 min 14 June 2022

    There are lots of words in lots of languages in the world. There's a word for almost everything we can imagine! But how did words start? And why do languages all sound so different? Let's take a ride in a time (and place) machine with Dr Howie Manns to learn a…

  • How is water made clean to drink?

    11 min 14 June 2022

    Water falls as rain from the sky, or runs through rivers, creeks and lakes. So how does it get into our taps, toilets and garden hoses? Let's imagine ourselves as falling raindrops with Dr Anna Rigosi, so we can follow the great water journey from the sky all …

  • Introducing... Little Yarns!

    1 min Season 1 Promo 4 May 2022

    While you wait for new Imagine This, take a listen to Little Yarns! Hosted by Gamilaroi girl, Rudi Bremer, Little Yarns is a podcast that takes your ears on Country to share some of Australia's First languages and have a little yarn! New episodes are out every…

  • BONUS: Weather in the Imaginarium

    10 min 5 April 2022

    Dr Nij is back in The Imaginarium, working his way through all your weather questions!

  • Why do animals have spots, stripes, and scales?

    14 min 7 December 2021

    Animals come in all shapes and sizes, and colours and patterns! But have you ever wondered why?

  • How are lightning and thunder made?

    12 min 7 December 2021

    Storms can be wet and windy, but how do they make bright lightning and loud thunder?

  • What is a cool fire?

    13 min 7 December 2021

    Fire is really hot, and it can be dangerous, so what is a cool fire?

  • How is paper made from trees?

    11 min 7 December 2021

    Have you ever wondered how little bits of paper comes from big, tall trees? How do they get it so thin and flat?

  • Where do our voices come from?

    12 min 7 December 2021

    How do you talk? And why do we all sound different?

  • BONUS: Welcome to The Imaginarium!

    9 min 10 November 2021

    Join Dr Nij in The Imaginarium, the place where all your Imagine This questions arrive.

  • How do bees make honey?

    11 min 6 April 2021

    Sweet, sticky honey is so yummy! But have you ever wondered how bees make it? And how do busy honeybees talk to each other?

  • How are germs made and what are they made of?

    12 min 6 April 2021

    Germs are everywhere! Some are good for us, but some can make us sick. Have you ever wondered how they do it? The answer lies in how they are made…

  • How do fish breathe underwater?

    12 min 6 April 2021

    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?

  • Why does my mouth like sugar but my body doesn't?

    10 min 6 April 2021

    We know sugar tastes great, but is it any good for us? It tastes delicious, so why can’t we have sugar all the time?

  • Why are jokes funny?

    12 min 6 April 2021

    Knock, knock… Who’s there? Science communicator and full-time funny person, Bernie Hobbs! And she’s here to help us examine our funny bones.

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