Have you ever seen humanoid robots walking the streets or going viral online? How do they move? Why don't they fall while carrying out all those fancy moves? In this episode of Void Deck by Science Centre Singapore, Lydia sits down with in-house 'robot trainer' Wenjun to unravel how such humanoid robots work.

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

• 01:11 Introducing the Unitree G1 Humanoid Robot
• 02:00 How can the robot do boxing?
• 03:10 How does the robot learn?
• 04:23 What can it help us with our daily lives?
• 05:00 'Would You Rather...'
• 05:43 Can robots replace humans?

Guest biography

Ms. Wenjun Liang is a Senior Science Educator at Science Centre Singapore. On a daily basis, Wenjun can be found around the centre conducting shows and interacting with guests. For the RoboFest, Wenjun has been specially trained to work with robots.

For transcription and show notes, visit: https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/s3e2-how-to-train-your-robot

On 3 March 2026, the Moon turns red into a Blood Moon as it goes through a total lunar eclipse. But how exactly does that happen? In this episode of Void Deck by Science Centre Singapore, Lydia sits down with in-house space expert Meng to unpack what makes this total lunar eclipse special. Why does the Moon turn red? Is a Blood Moon different from a lunar eclipse?

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

• 00:51 Why does the Moon turn red?
• 01:32 Quickfire 'This or That' -- what does our space expert prefer?
• 02:10 How to watch the eclipse on 3rd March 2026
• 04:39 Embarrassing Question #1: Are all lunar eclipses red?
• 05:28 Embarrassing Question #2: Is a Blood Moon = a lunar eclipse?
• 06:18 Fun Fact!: Eclipses always happen in pairs

Guest biography

Mr. Lim Meng Hwee (Meng) is a Senior Science Educator at Science Centre Singapore. On a daily basis, Meng conducts workshops and classes in the centre, including the planetarium shows at the Omnitheatre some Friday nights. Meng is especially focused in astronomical sciences and you may often see him at local astronomical sites with his very own gear and mind full of stars.

For full transcript and show notes, visit: https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/s3e1-lunar-eclipse/

Scattered across Singapore are 255 registered Heritage Trees—remarkable for their majesty, cultural value, and the histories these green landmarks are rooted in. While some are native, many aren’t. So how did our heritage trees end up here, and what makes them worth conserving? In this episode, tropical forest ecologist Dr. Shawn Lum walks us through the hidden world of our heritage trees, the work that goes into conserving them, and why they matter more than we might think.

Episode Highlights

• The meaning behind Heritage Tree status - how trees earn this prestigious designation through their botanical value and cultural significance

• The extensive work that goes into conserving our natural heritage, from expert arborist inspections to lightning protection installation

• The journey of Singapore's most common Heritage Tree species, the Rain Tree, from South America to Southeast Asia

• Discovering century-old majestic trees in the Changi area that still stand as living witnesses to Singapore's changing landscape

• How everyday citizens can contribute to forest conservation, from nominating potential Heritage Trees to participating in the One Million Trees movement

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:59 Definition and Criteria for Heritage Trees

02:29 Nomination Process for Heritage Trees

04:27 Non-Native Species and Globalisation

07:34 Maintenance of Heritage Trees

10:44 Dr. Lum’s Favourite Heritage Trees

13:44 What You Can Do to Help Our Forests

15:14 Outro

Guest Bio: Dr. Shawn Lum joined the NTU Asian School of the Environment in January 2016 after spending more than twenty years as a Lecturer at the National Institute of Education. He joined NIE upon completion of his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. Shawn is a product of islands - he was born in Tokyo, raised in Honolulu, and has spent his working career in Singapore. Shawn's teaching has centered upon plant diversity, forest ecology, and conservation. In addition to his teaching and academic work, he works closely with local environment and nature-related agencies and is also active in nature conservation NGOs and civil society. [From NTU]

Read the full transcript and show notes at https://voiddeck.science.edu.sg/s2e4-ecology