Anna Maria Arabia, director of the Australian Academy of Science, told us about the initiatives planned for this edition, which can be discovered by visiting the organization's website.
The Academy of Science, Anna Maria told us, has also created a message that can be seen from space to highlight the important role of scientists as the world tackles the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘Science will solve this’ is being created during National Science Week as part of Inspiring the ACT’s ‘Satellite Selfie’. The message symbolises the Academy’s commitment to support the nation by providing the latest evidence from experts on COVID-19. In June, the Academy was named in the top 10 most prominent sources of information during the pandemic by the Australian Science Media Centre. Academy Fellows have been highly sought after for comment by the media.
Source: science.org.au
Using a satellite 770 kilometres above Earth, the project has given the ACT, its surrounds and the Northern Territory the unusual opportunity to take part in a massive selfie. Three planned flyovers across the week give participants the best chance to have their creations captured by the satellite.
ANU astrophysicist Dr Brad Tucker said the images would form the “ultimate, out of this world, selfie”.
“Nothing to this scale and this many people has ever been tried before in the world, let alone Australia. We are going to use a satellite to take a massive selfie that shows what Canberra, its surrounds and the NT looked like in August 2020,” Dr Tucker said.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus
