Resources by Catalyst

Solar Cells

This Catalyst article investigates the development of better, more energy-efficient solar cells. Every minute enough sunlight strikes the Earth to power our civilisation for a year, yet less than 1% of global energy generation is provided by solar energy. Solar cells convert sunshine directly to electricity, but to...

Solar Disinfection of Drinking Water

Reliance on unsafe drinking water is a significant problem in many areas of the world. This Catalyst article looks at the method of solar disinfection to provide safe drinking water.

UVA from the sun causes a breakdown in cellular functions, and combined with the increased temperature of the water from a...

Solar Surface

This Catalyst article is about the surface of the Sun. The article looks at a sunspot as seen by the Japanese Hinode solar observatory. Sunspots enable research about the nature and activity of the Sun. They are regions of strong magnetic activity and the article reports on the history of research into sunspots....

Sonic Husbandry

Electronic musical instruments are getting better and better at mimicking and behaving just like their acoustic counterparts, but they can also create a wealth of sounds that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with acoustic instruments. In this Catalyst article, Jez Wells, a music technologist, explains...

Speak to Me, Lichen

In this Catalyst article, students at La Sainte Union Catholic School in North London investigate the link between lichen species and air pollution around their school.

Lichens are indicators of changes in air quality; tolerant species replace those which are sensitive to a given pollutant. This effect is...

Splitting Light: Spectroscopy

A Catalyst article looking at which type of radiation is absorbed and emitted through spectroscopy. This is the study of the wavelengths of light which allows us to identify the substances present in the source. This investigation provides a lot of useful information about a compound. It is used in a very wide...

Starting a Greener Revolution

A Catalyst article looking at strategies for ensuring that there is a plentiful food supply in the future and how this can be sustained.

The article looks at three main areas for scientific investigation:

*Fertilisation

*Pest control

*Genetic modification

It also looks at...

Stephanie Kwolek - Polymer Chemist *suitable for home teaching*

Stephanie Kwolek invented the tough polymer Kevlar, used in protective clothing and developed a method for demonstrating the production of nylon in the classroom which is still used today.

The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 25, Issue 1.

...

Stephen Kill, Science Photographer

A Catalyst article about working as a photographer in a scientific laboratory. The photographer explains how he sees his role as producing striking images to help promote these facilities and science in general and explains how he goes about achieving this.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science...

Stress: good or bad?

This Catalyst article looks at how stress can have an impact on people's well-being but at the same time, humans need a degree of stress in their lives.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2017, Volume 27, Issue 3.

Catalyst...