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

ANTS PLAYING DEAD

WATER WAVES TELL THE FUTURE

A BEE-BRAINED AI

SEARCH FOR A WARRIOR WASP

TRICKING MICE-CHIEVOUS MUNCHERS

SQUASH BUG BABIES

UNTANGLING WORM-BLOBS

BY THE NUMBERS: F-ANT-ASTIC!

ORGANS ON CHIPS?

MAGNIFYING THE SECRETS OF BABY CORALS

WHERE ARE THE OCEAN INSECTS?

NEW BLUE BUTTERFLY

COOL MORPHO BLUE

ANTS AT WAR

TIME-TRAVELLING INVADERS

THE OLDEST STORIES IN THE WORLD

‘Tis the Christmas beetle season • The Christmas Beetle Count is on, and you’re invited to join the search.

HOW TO NAME A SPECIES (AFTER YOUR DOG!) • Last year, in 2022, I had the honour of describing a new species of native bee, Leioproctus zephyr – Australia's 1,661st species! But it all started back in 2017 – you see, taxonomy takes time and effort! Like most new species discoveries, I wasn’t looking for one when I found it.

THE MANY WONDERS OF BEE VENOM • Bee stings have been used for medicine for thousands of years. Now scientists are uncovering a plethora of new disease-fighting effects worth buzzing about.

POSTER

Guinness World Records 2024 • BY GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS LIMITED

100 Australian Butterflies, Bees, Bugs and Beetles • BY GEORGIA ANGUS

TIME-TRAVELLING SHED

SPICING UP SPACE • HOWDY HUMANS. GAIL LEXY HERE, LOOKING FORWARD TO TASTY SPACE TUCKER.

ROBOT BEE REVOLUTION • Flying insects show us what could be possible for small machines. What would it take to build a robot bee?

INSECT FEST • 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?

BUGGING OUT

WALKING ON WATER • HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW WATER STRIDERS CAN WALK ON WATER? WONDER NO LONGER!

THROUGH BUGS’ EYES • WHAT’S IT LIKE TO SEE THE WORLD THROUGH AN INSECT’S EYE? DIVE INTO THIS ACTIVITY TO MODEL INSECT VISION AND UNCOVER THE SCIENCE OF HOW BUGS SPOT DANGERS THROUGH SPECIAL LENSES.

MESSAGING WITH SCENTS • HAVE YOU EVER HEARD A PLANT TALK? MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY LISTENING WITH YOUR NOSE INSTEAD OF YOUR EARS! IN THIS ACTIVITY, YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO PRESERVE SCENTS FROM NATURE AND SEND SCENTED MESSAGES TO FRIENDS.

MAKE IT COMIC

WHAT INSECT ARE YOU? • Do you have an affinity for beetles or are you more of a social butterfly? Take our fun quiz and find out which insect you're most like!

PUZZLES

PRIZES