From discovering the wonders of invisible ink to solving the disappearance of a toy dog's scarf, the faces of curious Canberra kids lit up as the next generation of budding detectives went to work.
Questacon became the scene of imaginary crimes on Saturday as the Australian Federal Police rolled out hands-on activities for children, who also learned about fingerprint matching, forensic art and more.
The "takeover" event was a chance for the AFP's chief scientist, Simon Walsh, and the force's forensic specialists to show youngsters the ever-changing face of policing.
While many still think of police and picture an officer in uniform, speeding to the scene of a crime with lights and sirens blazing, the job has become increasingly sophisticated over time.
The AFP now has nearly 400 roles in forensics, with experts working across fields that include biometics, DNA, chemical criminalistics, document examination and ballistics.
Dr Walsh told The Canberra Times forensic evidence was now used in "virtually every investigation" the AFP undertook, featuring in more than 95 per cent of the briefs the force prepares for court cases.
"So, it's really a growing area and it's a really critical area," he said.
"I like to say to my colleagues that a lot of their biggest problems and biggest areas of opportunity have a lot of science and technology associated with them.
"We really have a really relevant role to play in trying to work on some of our emerging problems as well, such as areas like cyber crime."
With the face of crime constantly becoming more complex, the AFP is having to change with the times.
Dr Walsh said he was seeing growth in the area of digital forensics, with one of the police force's current challenges involving offenders from "far away" places using technology to orchestrate crimes in Australia.
He said 3D printing was also an increasingly common tool for offenders looking to manufacture weapons.
"So we're seeing some emergence of those sorts of technologies in the criminal environment, and that's then a new area of forensic science for us to start to learn about and apply," Dr Walsh said.
He and Questacon's visitor experience manager, Karina Edwards, agreed the activities were both fun for children today and beneficial for them in the future.
Ms Edwards said the institution's National Science Week programs aimed to educate and inspire people by showcasing exciting careers.
"I think the wonderful range and diversity in science today, and the cutting-edge technologies, means that anyone entering into the field can find their own personal strengths and run with them," she said.
"The technologies are so diverse, and what I think is inspiring is that we're so reliant now on these technologies.
"So being at the forefront of that sort of technology means that you're actually driving the change and working with Australians to make us a greater nation. I think it's a really exciting space to be in."
