When emerging Kamilaroi astrophysicist Krystal De Napoli was a schoolgirl in Victoria, on the rare occasions Indigenous Dreaming tales were mentioned in class, they were presented as fun stories for kids: myths about, say, the Rainbow Serpent.

“I talk about Aboriginal science, to show the ingenuity behind the stories,” says the 26-year-old via Zoom from her home in Melbourne. “It’s something we weren’t given the opportunity to learn about.”