© Pint of Science, 2026. All rights reserved.
Some of the most important things in our world are invisible - from tiny particles in our bodies to traces of colour lost to time. In this event, discover how scientists uncover hidden clues using clever chemistry and cutting-edge technology, whether it’s rebuilding the colours of ancient artworks, creating new molecules from simple ingredients, or detecting plastics too small to see. Expect surprising insights, real-world science, and plenty of “wow, I didn’t know that!” moments.
Illuminating the Past - How can science help us understand Medieval art?
Kate Lawrence
(Kate is a PhD student in archaeology at Flinders University. Her research interests include geochemistry, chemistry of pigments and how scientific methods can be used to better understand the past.)
How can science help us recreate art from the past? Sculptural artworks from the Medieval period in Ireland and the UK would have originally been brightly coloured, but unfortunately, weathering over time has robbed us of the colour on these monuments. However, science can help us reconstruct what these monuments would have originally looked like, by using X-ray fluorescence to identify residues of mineral pigments that remain on the monuments that can’t be seen by the naked eye.
Building things with main-group elements
Matthew Evans
(Matthew is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Fellow in the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University. He leads a small research team in organometallic chemistry towards the development of sustainable chemical transformations. )
Main-group elements are ubiquitous and cost-effective solutions to their transition metal rivals in molecular chemistry. However, their inability to navigate multiple oxidation states has limited their applications in redox catalysis and small molecule activation. In this presentation, we will explore the synthesis and reactivity of non-conventional main-group compounds and their roles in the production of value-added chemical products from inexpensive small molecules.
Microplastics: What Do We Actually Know?
A/Prof Melanie MacGreghor
(A/Prof MacGregor is a materials scientist at Flinders University leading the Nano and Microplastics Research Consortium. She works with clinicians, industry and regulators, and helps shape global plastics policy through the Scientists’ Coalition.)
You’ve heard about microplastics - but how small do they get, where do they end up, and should we be worried? These tiny plastic particles are turning up everywhere, but measuring them and understanding their impacts is far from simple. This talk unpacks what scientists can—and can’t yet—measure, what we know so far, why even basic questions about risk remain hard to answer, and what that means for the environment and our health.
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