So it turns out taking 10,000 steps a day to keep you healthy is a myth
A new study reveals people need to take far fewer steps for roughly the same health benefits.
Just 7000 steps a day will likely do the job, the University of Sydney-led research published in The Lancet Public Health journal has found.
The scholars analysed 57 studies into daily steps recorded by devices like smart watches and fitness trackers published over the decade to 2025.
They discovered taking 7000 steps a day lowered the risk of early death by up to 47 per cent compared to taking only 2000 per day.
Step counts were weighed against various mortality factors, such as heart disease, cancer, falls, diabetes and depression.
"Although 10,000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active, 7000 steps per day is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in health outcomes and might be a more realistic and achievable target for some," the study authors concluded.
While there were still benefits to walking more, these were small.
"But 10,000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active," the researchers concluded in their article, "Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis".
They also pointed out lower step counts were still useful for staying healthy for longer.
"For example, 4000 steps per day compared with 2000 steps per day was associated with substantial risk reduction, such as a 36 per cent lower risk in all-cause mortality," they wrote.
It is hoped the study, which Sydney university described as "the largest and most comprehensive review" of available data to date, will help contribute to Australian public health guidelines for healthy living and exercise.
"We know daily step count is linked to living longer, but we now also have evidence that walking at least 7000 steps a day can significantly improve eight major health outcomes - including reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia and depressive symptoms," Professor Melody Ding from the university's School of Public Health said.
The researchers said future studies should look at step count guides for different age groups, health and regions.
The study was published on July 24.
If you pace the living room or work corridors to get your daily step count to 10,000, it might be time to put up your feet and relax.
A new study reveals people need to take far fewer steps for roughly the same health benefits.
Just 7000 steps a day will likely do the job, the University of Sydney-led research published in The Lancet Public Health journal has found.
The scholars analysed 57 studies into daily steps recorded by devices like smart watches and fitness trackers published over the decade to 2025.
They discovered taking 7000 steps a day lowered the risk of early death by up to 47 per cent compared to taking only 2000 per day.
Step counts were weighed against various mortality factors, such as heart disease, cancer, falls, diabetes and depression.
"Although 10,000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active, 7000 steps per day is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in health outcomes and might be a more realistic and achievable target for some," the study authors concluded.
While there were still benefits to walking more, these were small.
"But 10,000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active," the researchers concluded in their article, "Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis".
They also pointed out lower step counts were still useful for staying healthy for longer.
"For example, 4000 steps per day compared with 2000 steps per day was associated with substantial risk reduction, such as a 36 per cent lower risk in all-cause mortality," they wrote.
It is hoped the study, which Sydney university described as "the largest and most comprehensive review" of available data to date, will help contribute to Australian public health guidelines for healthy living and exercise.
"We know daily step count is linked to living longer, but we now also have evidence that walking at least 7000 steps a day can significantly improve eight major health outcomes - including reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia and depressive symptoms," Professor Melody Ding from the university's School of Public Health said.
The researchers said future studies should look at step count guides for different age groups, health and regions.
The study was published on July 24.
If you pace the living room or work corridors to get your daily step count to 10,000, it might be time to put up your feet and relax.
A new study reveals people need to take far fewer steps for roughly the same health benefits.
Just 7000 steps a day will likely do the job, the University of Sydney-led research published in The Lancet Public Health journal has found.
The scholars analysed 57 studies into daily steps recorded by devices like smart watches and fitness trackers published over the decade to 2025.
They discovered taking 7000 steps a day lowered the risk of early death by up to 47 per cent compared to taking only 2000 per day.
Step counts were weighed against various mortality factors, such as heart disease, cancer, falls, diabetes and depression.
"Although 10,000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active, 7000 steps per day is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in health outcomes and might be a more realistic and achievable target for some," the study authors concluded.
While there were still benefits to walking more, these were small.
"But 10,000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active," the researchers concluded in their article, "Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis".
They also pointed out lower step counts were still useful for staying healthy for longer.
"For example, 4000 steps per day compared with 2000 steps per day was associated with substantial risk reduction, such as a 36 per cent lower risk in all-cause mortality," they wrote.
It is hoped the study, which Sydney university described as "the largest and most comprehensive review" of available data to date, will help contribute to Australian public health guidelines for healthy living and exercise.
"We know daily step count is linked to living longer, but we now also have evidence that walking at least 7000 steps a day can significantly improve eight major health outcomes - including reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia and depressive symptoms," Professor Melody Ding from the university's School of Public Health said.
The researchers said future studies should look at step count guides for different age groups, health and regions.
The study was published on July 24.
If you pace the living room or work corridors to get your daily step count to 10,000, it might be time to put up your feet and relax.
A new study reveals people need to take far fewer steps for roughly the same health benefits.
Just 7000 steps a day will likely do the job, the University of Sydney-led research published in The Lancet Public Health journal has found.
The scholars analysed 57 studies into daily steps recorded by devices like smart watches and fitness trackers published over the decade to 2025.
They discovered taking 7000 steps a day lowered the risk of early death by up to 47 per cent compared to taking only 2000 per day.
Step counts were weighed against various mortality factors, such as heart disease, cancer, falls, diabetes and depression.
"Although 10,000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active, 7000 steps per day is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in health outcomes and might be a more realistic and achievable target for some," the study authors concluded.
While there were still benefits to walking more, these were small.
"But 10,000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active," the researchers concluded in their article, "Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis".
They also pointed out lower step counts were still useful for staying healthy for longer.
"For example, 4000 steps per day compared with 2000 steps per day was associated with substantial risk reduction, such as a 36 per cent lower risk in all-cause mortality," they wrote.
It is hoped the study, which Sydney university described as "the largest and most comprehensive review" of available data to date, will help contribute to Australian public health guidelines for healthy living and exercise.
"We know daily step count is linked to living longer, but we now also have evidence that walking at least 7000 steps a day can significantly improve eight major health outcomes - including reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia and depressive symptoms," Professor Melody Ding from the university's School of Public Health said.
The researchers said future studies should look at step count guides for different age groups, health and regions.
The study was published on July 24.
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The University of Sydney is running a campaign open to international and Australian candidates offering academic roles reserved for women in engineering. The roles are in the schools of aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering, civil engineering, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering. About 12 to 17 per cent of continuing academic staff within these schools are women. But a 2024 Diversity Council Australia report found just 11 per cent of female engineering students qualified and went on to work in an engineering role, while the percentage of those in senior roles was even lower. Shuying Wu, a senior lecturer in aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering at the University of Sydney, said she had been the only women in the room for many parts of her career. "There is a lack of female mentors so there can be limited guidance and inspiration," Dr Wu told AAP. 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As diversity, equity and inclusion programs are wound back in the United States, Prof Ryan expected American researchers and academics to be attracted to the roles. "There's a lot going on in research and funding in general in the US and there have been significant changes and a lot of people in the higher education sector are under pressure," she said. "It's something we are conscious of and we would always reach out to the US anyway, but there may be people looking for a change in Australia." Female academics are being encouraged into engineering roles as part of a bid to boost gender equity and representation in the sector. The University of Sydney is running a campaign open to international and Australian candidates offering academic roles reserved for women in engineering. The roles are in the schools of aerospace, mechanical and mechatronic engineering, civil engineering, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering. 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Australia has collectively poured more than $2.5 billion into The Global Fund and Gavi since 2000, helping to immunise more than 100 million children and save lives in the region. But the country's level of foreign aid has been been in "significant decline" since 2012, stagnating at $US3 billion annually over the past seven years. The multilateral aid landscape is "under pressure" after the US and UK reduced their commitments, the report said. It comes after US President Donald Trump's administration dismantled the US Agency for International Development, cutting funding to its aid programs worldwide. Dr Lo, who has nearly three decades experience in global and international health, said the abrupt exit of USAID left communities "in the lurch". "It's never good to have one group, whether it's a philanthropist or a country, be a monopoly," she said. "Because when they pull out, this is what happens." 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Dr Lo, who has nearly three decades experience in global and international health, said the abrupt exit of USAID left communities "in the lurch". "It's never good to have one group, whether it's a philanthropist or a country, be a monopoly," she said. "Because when they pull out, this is what happens." The Indo-Pacific still accounts for 25 per cent of global infections, with 6.7 million people in the region living with HIV and malaria rampant in Papua New Guinea. Pacific Friends of Global Health chair Brendan Crabb wants Australia to take up the mantle. "As the US administration dramatically steps back from global health leadership, Australia has a critical opportunity to convene and partner with Asia Pacific countries to advance the health priorities of the region," the Burnet Institute chief executive said. Australia must come to the party with more money to combat climate-related health issues, antimicrobial resistance and future pandemics. That's the bottom line of research that indicates the well-off nation is not pulling enough weight on the world stage to understand, anticipate and respond to emerging international health threats. The Australian government spent just under $630 billion on health between 2017 and 2023, according to a report commissioned by the Australian Global Health Alliance. About $35 billion was directed to health and medical research but just $2 billion was specifically set aside for global research. The country must increase and realign its funding to address and anticipate global health challenges more effectively, the report said. "Despite commendable efforts, Australia's investment in global health research lags behind its international peers," it said. "Key areas such as the impact of climate change on health, antimicrobial resistance, and pandemic preparedness are notably underfunded." Alliance executive director Selina Namchee Lo said the global scientific community was successful in rapidly delivering vaccines and treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic. But where it fell short was equity, with some of the hardest-hit countries missing out. "What we're saying is equity is not optional for global health," Dr Lo told AAP. Another report, also commissioned by the alliance with Pacific Friends of Global Health, detailed the impact of two Australian-backed global public private partnerships in the Indo-Pacific. Australia has collectively poured more than $2.5 billion into The Global Fund and Gavi since 2000, helping to immunise more than 100 million children and save lives in the region. But the country's level of foreign aid has been been in "significant decline" since 2012, stagnating at $US3 billion annually over the past seven years. The multilateral aid landscape is "under pressure" after the US and UK reduced their commitments, the report said. It comes after US President Donald Trump's administration dismantled the US Agency for International Development, cutting funding to its aid programs worldwide. Dr Lo, who has nearly three decades experience in global and international health, said the abrupt exit of USAID left communities "in the lurch". "It's never good to have one group, whether it's a philanthropist or a country, be a monopoly," she said. "Because when they pull out, this is what happens." The Indo-Pacific still accounts for 25 per cent of global infections, with 6.7 million people in the region living with HIV and malaria rampant in Papua New Guinea. Pacific Friends of Global Health chair Brendan Crabb wants Australia to take up the mantle. "As the US administration dramatically steps back from global health leadership, Australia has a critical opportunity to convene and partner with Asia Pacific countries to advance the health priorities of the region," the Burnet Institute chief executive said.
The Advertiser
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School kids inspired by space salad mission to the moon
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"They're going to be the ones engineering the full versions of these in the future and really feeding astronauts on the moon and Mars, and this is happening in Australia so it's quite exciting." This is more than a school science unit. It's a citizen science initiative, with students directly contributing to solving a major challenge: how to grow food sustainably off-Earth. The Plants - Lunar Edition unit, developed by Aussie edtech company Stile Education in partnership with Lunaria One, allows students to experiment with seeds under simulated lunar conditions. Clare Feeney, head of education at Stile, says, "It's fantastic ... we were able to get students involved at such a young age actually contributing to the mission." "In the first lesson, students map the mission to the moon and look at the conditions the seeds will face. From that, they find a way to put them under similar conditions." Extreme heat is simulated by putting the seeds in the oven, the G-Force of launch is simulated by shaking them, she says. Then they track how well the seeds germinate and grow, sharing their conclusions with Lunaria One to contribute to their research. Since its trial earlier this year, the program has seen more than 440 student experiments uploaded, with over 200 student teams providing usable data. One group managed to grow a 20cm cucumber under simulated lunar conditions, a first for the student-led experiments. Thirteen-year-old India Huefner from Adelaide's Concordia College took part in the program. "Though science hasn't been my favourite, I have always been fascinated by space and the Lunaria One mission opens a whole new world of opportunities to learn about it and actively take part," she tells AAP. 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"That really hit home how important missions like this are because it's the early steps towards growing food in space." Growing plants in space isn't new - the International Space Station has long hosted experiments - but it presents unique challenges. The moon rotates differently, with 14 Earth days of sunlight followed by 14 days of darkness. "As soon as you're in shade, it can plummet to less than minus 100 degrees," Ms Fell says. "It's a very difficult thing to get something to survive that night time period ... so our mission is focused on the daytime when you've got power because of the solar energy." Ms Feeney explains that students enter data into a specially built widget as they grow their seeds, producing real-time information. "There's a whole citizen science component," she says. "The data is being pulled together for the Lunaria One team and they're actually using this to inform what they're doing." Beyond science, students are encouraged to think about humanity's responsibility in space, she adds. "A really cool part about the mission is that it's building that stewardship and students caring for the planet. "There's that implicit learning about why we might need to go to the moon and how we can be better citizens of Earth." The program also shifts students' perceptions of science and scientists. "You can see it in their faces," Ms Feeney says. "All of a sudden they see scientists are real people and think, 'maybe I could be a scientist because this is something I can see somebody like me doing'." Designed for ease of teaching, the unit fits neatly into existing curricula. "We've found lately there seems to be quite intuitively a lot of doom and gloom in science about climate change," Ms Feeney says. "This is a hopeful, joyful way to teach science. "We're explorers at the end of the day. Teaching science is all about building confidence and curiosity." For India, the project inspires career aspirations. "I really like the discovery element," she says. "I would love to work in the space industry when I am older, either as an astronaut or to be able to go to the International Space Station or become a leader like Lauren." Growing cucumbers on the moon might sound like science fiction but for thousands of Australian students, it's a hands-on reality. Pupils from years seven to 10 across the country are taking part in the ALEPH Project, a world-first mission aiming to establish a lunar garden by 2026. Far from passive textbook learners, these young scientists are conducting experiments, engineering seed delivery systems and uploading their findings to a national database that will directly help scientists decide which seeds are best suited for space. Research group Lunaria One Director Lauren Fell explains that the idea actually came from kids themselves. "We had an opportunity to suggest a scientific payload to go to the moon and we thought we could probably come up with something ... but we might as well see what the next generation want to see on the moon," Ms Fell tells AAP. "They said, we want to see something grow and it kind of really resonated. It's a very barren sort of place. "They're going to be the ones engineering the full versions of these in the future and really feeding astronauts on the moon and Mars, and this is happening in Australia so it's quite exciting." This is more than a school science unit. It's a citizen science initiative, with students directly contributing to solving a major challenge: how to grow food sustainably off-Earth. The Plants - Lunar Edition unit, developed by Aussie edtech company Stile Education in partnership with Lunaria One, allows students to experiment with seeds under simulated lunar conditions. Clare Feeney, head of education at Stile, says, "It's fantastic ... we were able to get students involved at such a young age actually contributing to the mission." "In the first lesson, students map the mission to the moon and look at the conditions the seeds will face. From that, they find a way to put them under similar conditions." Extreme heat is simulated by putting the seeds in the oven, the G-Force of launch is simulated by shaking them, she says. Then they track how well the seeds germinate and grow, sharing their conclusions with Lunaria One to contribute to their research. Since its trial earlier this year, the program has seen more than 440 student experiments uploaded, with over 200 student teams providing usable data. One group managed to grow a 20cm cucumber under simulated lunar conditions, a first for the student-led experiments. Thirteen-year-old India Huefner from Adelaide's Concordia College took part in the program. "Though science hasn't been my favourite, I have always been fascinated by space and the Lunaria One mission opens a whole new world of opportunities to learn about it and actively take part," she tells AAP. Ms Huefner's flight-simulated tomato seeds - exposed to high heat and then freezing temperatures to simulate what happens on take-off - grew taller after 14 days when compared to the control group but the same number germinated in both. The project vividly brings science to life for students like India. "I found it amazing that we're even trying to put plants on the moon when it was only 50 years ago we first landed there and now this project is exploring how we might feed an off-world colony," she says. "Having the chance to speak to Lauren Fell really showed how this is relevant in the real world," she says. Ms Fell explains that her own experience as a researcher during a simulated space mission on Earth highlighted the importance of fresh food for astronauts. "I just wanted a salad so much. A lot of the food that you take up there, it's dehydrated, it's powdered and you just want something fresh and crisp and something that's just been grown," she says. "That really hit home how important missions like this are because it's the early steps towards growing food in space." Growing plants in space isn't new - the International Space Station has long hosted experiments - but it presents unique challenges. The moon rotates differently, with 14 Earth days of sunlight followed by 14 days of darkness. "As soon as you're in shade, it can plummet to less than minus 100 degrees," Ms Fell says. "It's a very difficult thing to get something to survive that night time period ... so our mission is focused on the daytime when you've got power because of the solar energy." Ms Feeney explains that students enter data into a specially built widget as they grow their seeds, producing real-time information. "There's a whole citizen science component," she says. "The data is being pulled together for the Lunaria One team and they're actually using this to inform what they're doing." Beyond science, students are encouraged to think about humanity's responsibility in space, she adds. "A really cool part about the mission is that it's building that stewardship and students caring for the planet. "There's that implicit learning about why we might need to go to the moon and how we can be better citizens of Earth." The program also shifts students' perceptions of science and scientists. "You can see it in their faces," Ms Feeney says. "All of a sudden they see scientists are real people and think, 'maybe I could be a scientist because this is something I can see somebody like me doing'." Designed for ease of teaching, the unit fits neatly into existing curricula. "We've found lately there seems to be quite intuitively a lot of doom and gloom in science about climate change," Ms Feeney says. "This is a hopeful, joyful way to teach science. "We're explorers at the end of the day. Teaching science is all about building confidence and curiosity." For India, the project inspires career aspirations. "I really like the discovery element," she says. "I would love to work in the space industry when I am older, either as an astronaut or to be able to go to the International Space Station or become a leader like Lauren." Growing cucumbers on the moon might sound like science fiction but for thousands of Australian students, it's a hands-on reality. Pupils from years seven to 10 across the country are taking part in the ALEPH Project, a world-first mission aiming to establish a lunar garden by 2026. Far from passive textbook learners, these young scientists are conducting experiments, engineering seed delivery systems and uploading their findings to a national database that will directly help scientists decide which seeds are best suited for space. Research group Lunaria One Director Lauren Fell explains that the idea actually came from kids themselves. "We had an opportunity to suggest a scientific payload to go to the moon and we thought we could probably come up with something ... but we might as well see what the next generation want to see on the moon," Ms Fell tells AAP. "They said, we want to see something grow and it kind of really resonated. It's a very barren sort of place. "They're going to be the ones engineering the full versions of these in the future and really feeding astronauts on the moon and Mars, and this is happening in Australia so it's quite exciting." This is more than a school science unit. It's a citizen science initiative, with students directly contributing to solving a major challenge: how to grow food sustainably off-Earth. The Plants - Lunar Edition unit, developed by Aussie edtech company Stile Education in partnership with Lunaria One, allows students to experiment with seeds under simulated lunar conditions. Clare Feeney, head of education at Stile, says, "It's fantastic ... we were able to get students involved at such a young age actually contributing to the mission." "In the first lesson, students map the mission to the moon and look at the conditions the seeds will face. From that, they find a way to put them under similar conditions." Extreme heat is simulated by putting the seeds in the oven, the G-Force of launch is simulated by shaking them, she says. Then they track how well the seeds germinate and grow, sharing their conclusions with Lunaria One to contribute to their research. Since its trial earlier this year, the program has seen more than 440 student experiments uploaded, with over 200 student teams providing usable data. One group managed to grow a 20cm cucumber under simulated lunar conditions, a first for the student-led experiments. Thirteen-year-old India Huefner from Adelaide's Concordia College took part in the program. "Though science hasn't been my favourite, I have always been fascinated by space and the Lunaria One mission opens a whole new world of opportunities to learn about it and actively take part," she tells AAP. Ms Huefner's flight-simulated tomato seeds - exposed to high heat and then freezing temperatures to simulate what happens on take-off - grew taller after 14 days when compared to the control group but the same number germinated in both. The project vividly brings science to life for students like India. "I found it amazing that we're even trying to put plants on the moon when it was only 50 years ago we first landed there and now this project is exploring how we might feed an off-world colony," she says. "Having the chance to speak to Lauren Fell really showed how this is relevant in the real world," she says. Ms Fell explains that her own experience as a researcher during a simulated space mission on Earth highlighted the importance of fresh food for astronauts. "I just wanted a salad so much. A lot of the food that you take up there, it's dehydrated, it's powdered and you just want something fresh and crisp and something that's just been grown," she says. "That really hit home how important missions like this are because it's the early steps towards growing food in space." Growing plants in space isn't new - the International Space Station has long hosted experiments - but it presents unique challenges. The moon rotates differently, with 14 Earth days of sunlight followed by 14 days of darkness. "As soon as you're in shade, it can plummet to less than minus 100 degrees," Ms Fell says. "It's a very difficult thing to get something to survive that night time period ... so our mission is focused on the daytime when you've got power because of the solar energy." Ms Feeney explains that students enter data into a specially built widget as they grow their seeds, producing real-time information. "There's a whole citizen science component," she says. "The data is being pulled together for the Lunaria One team and they're actually using this to inform what they're doing." Beyond science, students are encouraged to think about humanity's responsibility in space, she adds. "A really cool part about the mission is that it's building that stewardship and students caring for the planet. "There's that implicit learning about why we might need to go to the moon and how we can be better citizens of Earth." The program also shifts students' perceptions of science and scientists. "You can see it in their faces," Ms Feeney says. "All of a sudden they see scientists are real people and think, 'maybe I could be a scientist because this is something I can see somebody like me doing'." Designed for ease of teaching, the unit fits neatly into existing curricula. "We've found lately there seems to be quite intuitively a lot of doom and gloom in science about climate change," Ms Feeney says. "This is a hopeful, joyful way to teach science. "We're explorers at the end of the day. Teaching science is all about building confidence and curiosity." For India, the project inspires career aspirations. "I really like the discovery element," she says. "I would love to work in the space industry when I am older, either as an astronaut or to be able to go to the International Space Station or become a leader like Lauren." Growing cucumbers on the moon might sound like science fiction but for thousands of Australian students, it's a hands-on reality. Pupils from years seven to 10 across the country are taking part in the ALEPH Project, a world-first mission aiming to establish a lunar garden by 2026. Far from passive textbook learners, these young scientists are conducting experiments, engineering seed delivery systems and uploading their findings to a national database that will directly help scientists decide which seeds are best suited for space. Research group Lunaria One Director Lauren Fell explains that the idea actually came from kids themselves. "We had an opportunity to suggest a scientific payload to go to the moon and we thought we could probably come up with something ... but we might as well see what the next generation want to see on the moon," Ms Fell tells AAP. "They said, we want to see something grow and it kind of really resonated. It's a very barren sort of place. "They're going to be the ones engineering the full versions of these in the future and really feeding astronauts on the moon and Mars, and this is happening in Australia so it's quite exciting." This is more than a school science unit. It's a citizen science initiative, with students directly contributing to solving a major challenge: how to grow food sustainably off-Earth. The Plants - Lunar Edition unit, developed by Aussie edtech company Stile Education in partnership with Lunaria One, allows students to experiment with seeds under simulated lunar conditions. Clare Feeney, head of education at Stile, says, "It's fantastic ... we were able to get students involved at such a young age actually contributing to the mission." "In the first lesson, students map the mission to the moon and look at the conditions the seeds will face. From that, they find a way to put them under similar conditions." Extreme heat is simulated by putting the seeds in the oven, the G-Force of launch is simulated by shaking them, she says. Then they track how well the seeds germinate and grow, sharing their conclusions with Lunaria One to contribute to their research. Since its trial earlier this year, the program has seen more than 440 student experiments uploaded, with over 200 student teams providing usable data. One group managed to grow a 20cm cucumber under simulated lunar conditions, a first for the student-led experiments. Thirteen-year-old India Huefner from Adelaide's Concordia College took part in the program. "Though science hasn't been my favourite, I have always been fascinated by space and the Lunaria One mission opens a whole new world of opportunities to learn about it and actively take part," she tells AAP. Ms Huefner's flight-simulated tomato seeds - exposed to high heat and then freezing temperatures to simulate what happens on take-off - grew taller after 14 days when compared to the control group but the same number germinated in both. The project vividly brings science to life for students like India. "I found it amazing that we're even trying to put plants on the moon when it was only 50 years ago we first landed there and now this project is exploring how we might feed an off-world colony," she says. "Having the chance to speak to Lauren Fell really showed how this is relevant in the real world," she says. Ms Fell explains that her own experience as a researcher during a simulated space mission on Earth highlighted the importance of fresh food for astronauts. "I just wanted a salad so much. A lot of the food that you take up there, it's dehydrated, it's powdered and you just want something fresh and crisp and something that's just been grown," she says. "That really hit home how important missions like this are because it's the early steps towards growing food in space." Growing plants in space isn't new - the International Space Station has long hosted experiments - but it presents unique challenges. The moon rotates differently, with 14 Earth days of sunlight followed by 14 days of darkness. "As soon as you're in shade, it can plummet to less than minus 100 degrees," Ms Fell says. "It's a very difficult thing to get something to survive that night time period ... so our mission is focused on the daytime when you've got power because of the solar energy." Ms Feeney explains that students enter data into a specially built widget as they grow their seeds, producing real-time information. "There's a whole citizen science component," she says. "The data is being pulled together for the Lunaria One team and they're actually using this to inform what they're doing." Beyond science, students are encouraged to think about humanity's responsibility in space, she adds. "A really cool part about the mission is that it's building that stewardship and students caring for the planet. "There's that implicit learning about why we might need to go to the moon and how we can be better citizens of Earth." The program also shifts students' perceptions of science and scientists. "You can see it in their faces," Ms Feeney says. "All of a sudden they see scientists are real people and think, 'maybe I could be a scientist because this is something I can see somebody like me doing'." Designed for ease of teaching, the unit fits neatly into existing curricula. "We've found lately there seems to be quite intuitively a lot of doom and gloom in science about climate change," Ms Feeney says. "This is a hopeful, joyful way to teach science. "We're explorers at the end of the day. Teaching science is all about building confidence and curiosity." For India, the project inspires career aspirations. "I really like the discovery element," she says. "I would love to work in the space industry when I am older, either as an astronaut or to be able to go to the International Space Station or become a leader like Lauren."
