Light interacts with biological materials in several different ways. This field of research is known as biophotonics. Associate Professor Rainer Künnemeyer, from the University of Waikato, is ...
Reflection is when light bounces off an object. If the surface is smooth and shiny, like glass, water or polished metal, the light will reflect at the same angle as it hit the surface. This is ...
Refraction is the bending of light (it also happens with sound, water and other waves) as it passes from one transparent substance into another. This bending by refraction makes it possible for ...
In this activity, students investigate specular and diffuse reflection by looking into a dark box and shining a torch at various objects, coloured paper and a mirror. By the end of this activity ...
In this activity, students make a pinhole camera and see images formed on an internal screen. They then use a lens and see brighter and sharper images. This models the human eye. By the end of ...
In this activity, students aim spears at a model of a fish in a container of water. When they move their spears towards the fish, they miss! This activity investigates refraction. By the end of ...
Search data from NASA’s Kepler spacecraft for the dips in star light intensity caused by exoplanets – planets that orbit stars other than the Sun. As these exoplanets pass between the star and ...
Help astronomers at Las Cumbres Observatory, California, study exoplanets – planets that orbit stars other than our Sun. Do this by interpreting images taken by their telescopes in Hawaii ...
Globe at Night is an international citizen science campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen scientists to measure and submit their night sky ...
The hole in the layer is a problem for all New Zealanders because it allows greater levels of potentially harmful UV rays to enter the atmosphere. These rays have been found to increase the risk ...
Join Karen Parker from Tahuna Normal Intermediate School and Greta Dromgool from the Science Learning Hub in a session which will introduce you to Vision 20/20, an exciting Participatory Science ...
In this online PLD session recorded on 27 August 2015, secondary teacher Steve Chrystall talks about the Science Learning Hub’s light and sight resources and how he used them to teach year 9 and ...
By using the example of spearing a fish, Associate Professor Gordon Sanderson, an ophthalmologist from Otago University, explains the principle of refraction. Refraction is as a consequence of ...
University of Waikato science researcher Dr Adrian Dorrington explains the photoelectric effect. He then describes how camera sensors can be designed on the basis of this effect to enable light ...
Dr Richard McKenzie, Senior Research Scientist at NIWA, Lauder, has recently started to examine the spectrum of UV emitted by sunbed lamps. Here, he reports on an early result. Acknowledgements ...
This slideshow, from the webinar Vision 20/20, provides additional support for the webinar video. Use the Slideshow menu for further options, including view full screen, and go here for the ...
Use this interactive graphic organiser to help highlight some common alternative conceptions about light and sight. Place each label where you think it belongs. This activity can be done ...
This interactive looks at the electromagnetic spectrum. To use this interactive, move your mouse or finger over any of the labelled boxes and select to obtain more information. Select here for a ...
