A new website billed as a ‘digital textbook’ has been created to help change the way young students see science– encouraging them to study and get excited about a traditionally stuffy subject.

The website has the backing of Australian Nobel Laureate in Physics, Professor Brian Schmidt.

Science by Doing is now online after years of development, freely available to every student from every school in the country. 

It is hoped the site will increase students’ interest in the varied study of the universe, to boost the amount of scientifically literate and qualified workers in the future.

“Teaching science is a place where Australia has done quite well in the past, but we’re slipping,” said Professor Schmidt.

Some students describe the site and its curriculum as more engaging than the traditional text-book approach.

The program was developed at a cost of $8.8 million, but the returns from inspiring and education a generation of young minds would outstrip that figure exponentially.

Prof Schmidt has welcomed “the beginning of a long and prosperous future for this program here and hopefully even around the world.”