A team of scientists is travelling through Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, hoping to inspire the next generation of physicists in remote areas.
The scientists have been visiting schools and communities and hosting science pub trivia quizzes across Queensland during the National Quantum & Dark Matter Road Trip.
Talking to students about dark matter, which Swinburne Institute of Technology physicist Ben McAllister told AAP is one of the biggest mysteries of the universe, and Quantum Physics, which is integral for solving this mystery, is meant not just to teach but to inspire.
"The main goal is not to be teaching them science content, although that's nice if you can do that," he said.
"The main goal is about inspiring the next generation of scientists and letting them know there is really awesome, cutting edge research in these fields going on in Australia."
The scientists began their road trip in Brisbane on August 4, ahead of National Science Week this week, and will end in Broome, WA, after crossing Queensland and the NT, on August 19.
The road trip has been held each year since 2021 and this year Dr McAllister said the focus is on regional and remote communities who don't usually have the opportunity to meet scientists face to face.
"If you don't hear that message, if you don't receive that message, then you would never know that it's possible for you," he said.
Bulla Camp School at Baines, a community in the Northern Territory, more than 400 kilometres south of Darwin near the WA border, is one such school.
There are just 11 primary students and principal Debbie Bailey said they're always excited to have visitors at the school, although being so remote it's not something that happens very often.
"We're a long way from anything and we don't have hotels and motels on our doorstep," she said.
"Being willing to travel the distance and involve the students at the school, even if it's only one student that it sparks interest in, it's well worth it."
Ms Bailey said the students they love learning about science, especially when they get to do hands-on experiments.
"Anything to do with making slime or mixing things together or having them change colour, the kids love it," she said.
"Being able to physically touch and feel and see and even taste and smell different things and being able to explain how that happened."
