A Catalyst article about the organisms which live in soil. Many, such as worms and mycorrhizal fungi, are vital for keeping soil healthy and productive. An adventurous biologist could once bank on finding new species by simply travelling to some part of the world little known to science. Darwin’s famous voyage...

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...

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....

Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of knowledge and technology transfer, new industry jobs and curriculum development. By the City of Bristol College, the study describes how the ‘composites gateway’ helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to...

This report, commissioned by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, investigates the role of technicians in the space industry. The aim of the project on which this report was based was to inform government policy towards technicians by investigating their duties, the skills they are required to have, and how employers...

This activity sheet is based on the Inventive Podcast.  It introduces a spacecraft engineer Sian Cleaver, and links her work to a physics topic. The activity sheet also supports Careers Benchmark 4: Careers in the curriculum by introducing a career and role model. There are also links to short audio clips of Sian...

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...

This document from the Department of Education looks at how teachers at schools in the White Horse Federation lead by example to encourage good behaviour and academic achievement. The resource explores strategies including teacher induction on behaviour, language skills and celebrating diversity, as part of the...

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the theme of STEM skills for the future and knowledge transfer. In this case study, three members of Newcastle College staff travelled to CERN to view the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator. The aim of the visit was to...

Annually the publication of GCSE and A level examination results prompts public interest in the standards of those examinations. In 1996, Lord Dearing in his Review of Qualifications for 16–19 Year Olds made several recommendations to ensure that "there is a basis and...

This resource is a compilation of reports by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and Ofqual reviewing standards over time in science subjects at GCSE and A levels.

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This report, jointly published by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA) and Ofsted under the chairmanship of Ron Dearing, presents the findings of an investigation into whether standards in GCSE and A level examinations were maintained in the period up to 1995. The improving examination grades...

This report, published by Ofsted in 1998, of a review of standards in design and technology teaching showed a positive picture with many improvements since the 1995 revision of the curriculum and programmes of study. Standards were found to be generally higher with improving standards to teaching and levels of...

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...

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...