Resources by Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme

The Gas State

These downloadable videos and animations are part of the multimedia package Stuff and Substance, developed by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). They can be used to predict the possibility of the gas state with the particle model and understand that ‘gases...

The healing of the ozone layer

This Catalyst article investigates the healing of the ozone layer. The ozone layer in the upper atmosphere was damaged by CFCs, used in refrigeration. A ban on their use has allowed the layer to start recovering.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2016, Volume 27, Issue 1.

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The Landing - Philae Touches Down

This Catalyst article investigates the launch of the the Philae lander from the Rosetta spacecraft and its landing on Comet 67P.

The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 25, Issue 3.

Catalyst is a science...

The Many Faces of Biology

This Catalyst article takes a look at the great variety of biology-related courses in universities. There are over 1,400 different university biology courses, choosing the right one for the individual student requires care. The article includes case studies about past students and the careers they have been able to...

The Moon, an Optical Illusion and an Iceberg: Did These Sink the Titanic?

This Catalyst article uses physics to investigate the possible causes of the sinking of the Titanic. Mike Follows explains how the hull of the Titanic was constructed to be watertight, however, the strength of the rivets used on the ship were inadequate.

The article shows how the alignment of the sun, Earth...

The Most Accurate Thermometer in the World

Almost every scientific experiment or industrial process requires a measurement of temperature. For example, the specification of the length of an object is meaningless without reference to the temperature at which the measurement was made. And all chemical and biological processes are intrinsically temperature-...

The One-Footed Ape

There has been a great deal of research into footedness in football. However, careful observations of what players do on the pitch reveal that the elite football heroes are much more one-footed than it was previously assumed. David Carey of Bangor University looks into the issue.

The article is from Catalyst...

The Other Genome Project *suitable for home teaching*

This Catalyst article details how the genome of a plant called Arabidopsis has been unravelled so that this species can act as a model in genetic studies. Arabidopsis thaliana is a model species like the fruit fly Drosophila, yeast, and the bacterium Escherichia coli.  Scientists...

The Peacock’s Tale: How Sexual Selection Works

This Catalyst article looks at sexual selection, a form of natural selection, and the role it plays in the evolution of many organisms. The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 24, Issue 4.

Catalyst is a science...

The riddle of restless rocks

This Catalyst article questions how heavy rocks can slide across a dry lake bed. The author introduces some theories to explain this phenomenon. 

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2016, Volume 27, Issue 1.

Catalyst is...