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Science / Year 8 / Science as a Human Endeavour / Use and influence of science

View on Australian Curriculum website Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
Curriculum content descriptions

People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE136)

Elaborations
  • describing how technologies have been applied to modern farming techniques to improve yields and sustainability
  • investigating how Aboriginal people recognise relationships in ecosystems by burning to promote new growth, attract animals and afford easier hunting and food gathering
  • describing the impact of plant cloning techniques (asexual production) in agriculture such as horticulture, fruit production and vineyards
  • investigating the role of science in the development of technology important to the economies and communities of the Asia–Pacific regions, for example car manufacture, earthquake prediction and electronic optics
  • recognising the role of knowledge of the environment and ecosystems in a number of occupations
  • considering how engineers improve energy efficiency of a range of processes
  • recognising the role of knowledge of cells and cell divisions in the area of disease treatment and control
  • investigating how scientists have created new materials such as synthetic fibres, heat-resistant plastics and pharmaceuticals
General capabilities
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms

Environmental management,  Technology,  Industries

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20 direct matches to ACSHE136

Video

What is a nanopatch?

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Imagine if getting vaccinated was as simple as sticking a little patch on your skin. Watch this video as it explains how a nanopatch may revolutionise the way we deliver vaccines. 

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Where does water go after it rains?

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What happens to rainfall in Australia? Water usually flows downhill, and because we know where the hills are, scientists have been able to divide the country into drainage divisions, or catchments. Find out which drainage division you're in, and learn what happens to rainwater that doesn't make it to the sea. |Learn more ...

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Video

Drones track endangered Australian animals

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Tracking Australian animals over vast and varied landscapes can be very difficult for animal researchers. Watch this video to find out how drones are revolutionising the way researchers track endangered Australian animals.

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Video

Engineering clean rivers

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Figuring out how to clean up contaminated rivers is a big challenge. It's also tricky to work out where the most contaminated parts of a river system are and whether its fish are safe to eat. Watch this video and learn how engineering has helped to solve these problems. Why do you think engineers looked to the bottom of ...

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Video

What is an optical dog nose?

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What do you think an 'optical dog nose' is? Watch this video to find out how this technology can be used in the real world. Can you think of some other potential applications for this technology?

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Video

More than just floating around the ocean

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Why do scientists research ocean conditions such as temperature and salinity? These things can tell us a lot about global climate and sea changes, which impact many people. This animation describes an international research program deploying robotic profiling floats (Argo floats) that collect ocean data. Discover where ...

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Video

All about engines

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What does 'horsepower' really mean? And how do engines work? Join Luke and Abhi from MIT to find out! As Abhi explains, engines produce power by forcing a mixture of fuel and air into a tight space and then burning it. Piston engines and turbine engines do this in similar, yet different ways. After watching this video, ...

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Video

Droplet lens technology

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Imagine if you could turn your smart phone into a microscope. These scientists have found a way to do just that. Watch this video to find out how easily and cheaply a high-resolution microscope can be made, and how this innovation is helping to revolutionise science and medicine all around the world.

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Video

Improving solar cell technology

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Did you know that 1.4 million Australian homes now have solar panels on their roofs? Watch this clip to learn how scientist Niraj Lal's research is aiming to improve the efficiency of solar technology. How do the double decker solar cells Niraj describes work? And what do the nanostructures on butterfly wings have to do ...

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Video

Wattleseed: a promising new cooking ingredient

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If you were a farmer, what native plants could you grow to provide a new food crop? Find out how Mark Lucas, a South Australian farmer, makes use of scientific research and innovative chefs to create a market for a new native plant food product.

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Video

Geology reveals how Earth changes

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See how geology can tell us a story about how Earth has changed over time, as well as help predict natural disasters and save lives. Find out how geology can help you understand the world around you even when you are at the beach.

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Video

Dam threatens ancient lungfish

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Explore the issues around the construction of the Traveston Dam in Queensland with Professor Jean Joss and former Queensland Premier Peter Beattie. In this 2006 news report they outline arguments for and against the construction of the dam and how it would affect one of the few remaining homes of a 150-million- year-old ...

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Video

The power of science photography

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Visual art and science are often considered to be separate fields. Watch as Phred Petersen talks about the way he combines his passions of photography and science. What is the role of technology in enabling this crossover? What kinds of scientific discoveries can be assisted by high-speed photography? And how can scientific ...

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Interactive

Oresome world

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This interactive resource takes students on a journey of discovery in the energy and mining world. Oresome world contains five games or modules: Coal, Energy, Gas, Low emissions and Mining, and within each of these there are several facilities to explore, such as the Underground mining site, Hydroelectric power station, ...

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Text

ACMF: Effects of selective breeding

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This resource is a web page providing information about an experiment on the growth rate of different chicken breeds carried out by students at James Ruse Agricultural High School in NSW, which shows the influence of selective breeding on chicken weight. It includes a side-by-side column graph comparing the weight of egg ...

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Video

BBSRC: war report - fighting armyworms

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This is a video accompanied by detailed text and still images showing the impact of armyworms on the cereal crops of sub-Saharan Africa and the efforts of Professor Kenneth Wilson to develop a safe, environmentally friendly biopesticide. The video illustrates the threat to food security posed by armyworms and shows Professor ...

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Video

Water reservoirs as climate change adaptation

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This is a video about water availability for people living in the Peruvian Andes. It includes vision and information about water scarcity in this region and details of a Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations funded project involving the creation of a sustainable water management program. The program involves ...

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TEDMED: What is the source of all life?

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This is a video clip of a TEDMED speaker, Howard Shapiro, presenting ideas about improving the nutritional value of plants to address malnutrition and the food requirements of a growing world population. The clip emphasises that poor nutrition has negative health and developmental effects on children, particularly those ...

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Video

Upholding cassava's potential in Africa

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This is a video about the importance of cassava for food security in Africa and how the Regional Cassava Initiative supported small-scale farmers whose crops were affected by viral diseases. Plant virologist James Legg explains the extent of the problem and how the viruses are transmitted, and Burundi farmer Aoron Sebomana ...

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Video

Gaps and opportunities for perennial crops

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This is a video about the scientific breeding of perennial crops as described at a 2013 workshop, 'Perennial crops for food security', held by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). After giving the big picture regarding perennial crop research, the 16-minute video focuses on the breeding of perennial wheat and its ...

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