Scientific Explorations
Year 12 Science Extension students captivated family and friends with their in-depth HSC research projects that represented a fascinating exploration of the world and its environment.
Our largest group of students yet, 21 students. Below is just a sample of what they investigated and found.
Millie's research focused on looking at a way to control the cane toad population in an environmentally friendly way. She looked at the population dynamics of keelback snakes and cane toads in rural Queensland. Her findings suggested that increasing the population of these snakes could potentially mitigate the impact of cane toads on native fauna, and perhaps prevent their spread to other parts of Australia.
Amy delved into the world of addiction treatment, looking at whether immunotherapy could be a more effective treatment for cocaine addiction than genome-edited skin epidermal cells. Amy's research filled a gap in the literature and highlighted the need for a long-term cure for cocaine addiction.
Eloise investigated the effectiveness of electrophysiology and rehabilitation on musculoskeletal injuries. She made use of second-hand data to compare natural massage and electrostimulation on the recovery of quad and hamstring muscles.
Dinosaur enthusiast, Matilda, compared the accuracy of current methods used to determine the body mass of dinosaurs, focusing on the Stegosaurus stenops. Her work will undoubtedly inform future research projects.
Paralympic sprinters, also known as Blade Runners, were the focus of Louise's research. She investigated how the height of prosthetics affects the stride length and frequency of a short-distance sprinter at maximum speed. Her findings revealed that while the height of the prosthetic had a significant effect on step length and inverse step frequency, it did not have a statistically significant effect on maximum velocity.
Georgia used secondary data to compare the effects of a Mediterranean diet and a Western diet on gut microbiome composition, specifically firmicutes and bacteroidetes. Her research highlighted the importance of the gut microbiome to overall health.
Amber investigated the effect of meditation on brain morphometry and cognitive functioning. Although she was unable to determine a clear correlation, her research suggested that meditation could potentially be used in the treatment of mental illnesses and disordered thinking.
Boarder, Lucy, researched the effectiveness of the Barbervax vaccine in reducing the worm egg count in relation to the parasitic disease Haemonchus Contortus. Her findings supported the hypothesis that vaccinated sheep would have a lower worm egg count than unvaccinated individuals.
Finally, Grace evaluated the effectiveness of different biopesticides on the mortality rate of Helicoverpa moths, a significant pest in the Australian agricultural industry.
We are all incredibly proud of the students' work and excited at the prospect of what they might one day contribute to future scientific discovery.