If you see a shooting star, don't just make a wish, report it! You can record your sightings using the Fireballs in the Sky citizen science app and help Curtin University's Desert Fireball Network figure out where they came from—and possibly where they landed. Find out more at fireballsinthesky.com.au.

It's also the time of year when science's greatest prizes, the Ig Nobel Prizes, are awarded to research that makes you laugh and makes you think. We look at some of the winners, including Australian contributions to unboiling an egg and discovering that "huh?" is a universal word.

We also hear about some research that suggests dried plums could help reduce the risk of colon cancer.