CSIRO

Hello! We are the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, but that’s a very long name, so most people call us by our nickname, CSIRO. We are Australia's national science agency. What does that mean? It means our job is to use science to solve big problems and make life better for everyone in Australia. We work with the country’s people, its environment, and its businesses. Our story began a long time ago, in 1926, and we’ve been making discoveries ever since.

Our scientists are like detectives and explorers who work on many different things. Some of them look up at the sky, using giant telescopes to study faraway stars and planets. Their work helps us understand the universe. Other scientists go in the opposite direction, exploring deep under the ocean to discover new creatures and learn how to protect our seas. We also work closely with people who grow our food. We help farmers find better ways to grow healthy fruits and vegetables and to keep their animals strong.

We care deeply about Australia’s amazing wildlife, so we also have teams that find ways to protect special animals like koalas and other creatures that don't live anywhere else in the world. We also work on new medicines to help doctors keep people from getting sick. In everything we do, our goal is to use science to make new discoveries that can help everyone have a healthier and safer life.

Over the years, our scientific work has led to some amazing inventions that you might even use every day. One of our teams helped invent a special technology that became a key part of Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is what lets you connect to the internet on a computer or tablet without needing any messy wires! It lets people all over the world share information and connect with each other. We also invented the colorful plastic money used in Australia. Before our invention, money was made from paper and could tear easily. Our special plastic money is much stronger and lasts a lot longer. It is also very hard for anyone to make fake copies, which helps keep everyone's money safe.

Today, we are still just as busy exploring and inventing as we were when we started. We are working on some of the world's biggest challenges. For example, we are helping to create clean energy from the power of the sun and the wind. This kind of energy helps run our homes and schools without making the air dirty. We are also finding new ways to recycle plastic to keep our beautiful beaches, parks, and oceans clean. We are always looking for the next big idea to help build a better future for Australia and the world.