The first Australian in space, Andy Thomas, is hoping to inspire more children into science and technology.

He is one of a number of top researchers and eminent Australians who have warned of a massive shortage of scientists by 2012, with student numbers now at their lowest in decades.

Dr Thomas, a NASA astronaut, says science helped propel his career and hopes more children will explore it as an option at school.

He has told Radio Australia's Breakfast Club program that if numbers continue to dwindle, Australia can expect serious problems.

"There's threats of security, there's economic threats, there's energy global security and climate change threats," he said.

"These all require people with scientific backgrounds to address them - engineers, scientists and mathematicians."

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