The Curiosity Show facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Curiosity Show |
|
|---|---|
| Genre | Factual |
| Written by | Deane Hutton Rob Morrison |
| Presented by | Deane Hutton Rob Morrison |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language(s) | English and some German |
| No. of seasons | 19 |
| No. of episodes | 500 |
| Production | |
| Production location(s) | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Running time | 60 minutes (1972-1980) 30 minutes (1981-1990) |
| Production company(s) | Banksia Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | Nine Network |
| Picture format | 4.3 PAL |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 1972 – 1990 |
The Curiosity Show was a popular Australian TV show made for kids. It taught viewers about science and other cool things. The show ran from 1972 to 1990. It was hosted by two awesome scientists, Rob Morrison and Deane Hutton. Banksia Productions made the show in South Australia for the Nine Network. They created 500 episodes!
Contents
About The Curiosity Show
What Was the Show Like?
From 1972 to 1980, The Curiosity Show was an hour long. It featured hosts like Rob Morrison, Deane Hutton, and others. The show focused on science, but also included crafts and music.
After 1980, the show became 30 minutes long. It was mainly hosted by Rob Morrison and Deane Hutton. The main topics were science, nature, and the environment.
The show won many awards from Australia and around the world. In 1984, it won the special Prix Jeunesse award. This award is given to the best factual program for children.
Fun Experiments and Tricks
The Curiosity Show was famous for its hands-on science experiments. They showed how to float a ping-pong ball on air. They also recreated old inventions. One memorable segment filled a room with mouse traps!
The hosts often explained science ideas using tricks and puzzles. They showed how musical instruments work. They even froze objects using liquid nitrogen.
Many segments taught kids how to build things. They used everyday items found at home. If a project took too long, they would say, "here's one I prepared earlier." This kept the show moving!
Deane Hutton had a famous saying. If he thought you might be curious about something, he'd say, "well, I'm glad you asked." Then he would explain the answer.
Using household items was important. It showed kids that science isn't just for labs. Anyone could do experiments at home. This made science feel less scary and more fun.
Rob Morrison wanted to show that their projects really worked. He also wanted to show any limits of the projects. This helped kids know what to expect.
Both hosts always told viewers to ask their parents for permission. This was especially important before using sharp objects like knives or scissors. It was also important when using flames or hot liquids. Safety first!
More Curiosity Fun
Books and Other Projects
In 1981, four companion books were released. They were made by Jacaranda Press. These books had science explanations and experiments for kids. Each book was based on one of the four classical elements: earth, air, fire, and water.
Together, Hutton and Morrison wrote 11 books. These included Supermindstretchers and The Arrow book of Things to Make and Do. Rob Morrison wrote over 40 more books. Some of these used ideas from The Curiosity Show.
One of Morrison's books was A Field Guide to the Tracks and Traces of Australian Animals. This was the first guide of its kind in Australia. It helped people identify animal tracks.
Morrison's work on animal tracks even helped with a real-life mystery. He gave evidence in the Morling Royal Commission. This was an inquiry into the Chamberlain convictions. He studied dingo tracks and behavior. His collection from the trial is now at the National Museum of Australia.
A Show for America?
The Children's Television Workshop (CTW) wanted to make an American version of The Curiosity Show. Rob Morrison and Deane Hutton helped with the early plans. However, the American TV channel PBS thought young audiences might not like older scientists as hosts.
CTW decided to change the idea. They wanted young people to host the show. This led to the creation of the show 3-2-1 Contact.
In 2014, The Curiosity Show made a short online series. It was available on YouTube. Morrison and Hutton hosted it again!
Online Fun!
In 2013, Hutton and Morrison bought the rights to The Curiosity Show. They bought them from Banksia Productions. On July 12, 2013, they launched a YouTube channel. They wanted to share old episodes and segments with new viewers.
There are about 5,000 segments available. Some have been watched by many people. Viewers in the United States and India especially love them. As of June 2017, one segment about self-starting siphons had over a million views!
In May 2014, Hutton and Morrison released a new episode on their YouTube channel. This was the first new Curiosity Show episode since 1990! Kellogg Australia helped fund this online episode.
The new episode followed the original show's style. It had extra online resources. Hutton and Morrison did experiments with cereal. They even made homemade cornflakes! They also made cornflour non-Newtonian fluid. Fans of the channel really liked the new episode.
Awards It Won
The Curiosity Show received many awards for its great work.
International Awards
- 1984: Winner of Prix Jeunesse Internationale, Munich.
- 1985: Silver medal, International Film and Television Festival of New York.
- 1985: Museum of Broadcasting, New York.
- 1990: Television Award, Children's Film and Television, China.
National Awards
- 1975-1979, 1981: Commendations from the Television Society of Australia.
- 1982: Gold Penguin Award, Television Society of Australia.
