This Catalyst article looks at OIF (Ocean Iron Fertilization) a process of pouring iron into the oceans. The theory behind it is to slow climate change by using a process that already occurs naturally. Nature has a way to draw carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air down into the ocean. If the process could be speeded up...

This Catalyst article describes the work of scientists detecting changes in the oceans. The working lives of three oceanographic scientists who are investigating the Gulf Stream are examined, as is the requirement for them to work closely with experts in other fields, such as: engineers, software developers and...

This Catalyst article looks at oil production in Trinidad and Tobago. The oil refining process and method are explained. The article also investigates the resulting human impact on the environment.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2003, Volume 13, Issue 4.

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This catalyst article looks at how scientists have analysed the isotopes of uranium in rocks in Gabon (W Africa) and shown that, for thousands of years in the distant past, a nuclear fission reaction occurred. 

This Catalyst article looks at metals and alloys which play an important role in construction at the Olympic site, both in sports equipment and in medals. Designers must consider the properties of the materials used to make both sports equipment and buildings. These include strength, density, toughness, ductility...

This Catalyst article looks at how computer games make increasingly sophisticated use of the laws of physics to produce convincing on-screen effects. From calculating the angle that a ball bounces off a wall to modelling the frictional forces on a rally car, physics has always played a part in the development of...

An article about chiral compounds and the chemistry of flavours like orange and spearmint.

Catalyst is a science magazine for students aged 14-19 years. Find out more about Catalyst magazine: www.stem.org.uk/catalyst

This Catalyst article explains how orchids have evolved over millions of years to have a close relationship with the insects which pollinate them. Like many plants, orchids rely on insects to carry pollen from one flower to another in order to reproduce. Many plants offer a reward to pollinators, and so do some...

This article, from the Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM) publication ‘Mathematics Teaching’, is taken from MT217.

Jenni Ingram and Robert Ward-Penny give their thoughts on classrooms today by examining the variety of activities that can be seen in the mathematics classroom. Students are frequently...

A Catalyst article about oxygen and how it is essential for most respiration, which goes on all the time in all live cells all living organisms. The article looks at how organisms get the oxygen they need from their surroundings and how it reaches cells. It also explores how oxygen transport is monitored, which of...

Palaeontology strives to discover evidence so that we might learn more about the fossil remains of life and understand how they lived, functioned and even died. Scientists at The University of Manchester have been using state-of-the art imaging, chemical analyses and computer modelling techniques to study the...

A practical project that helps students to understand how client-server relationships are established, and what they might be used for. The example uses parallel computing across multiple Raspberry Pis to calculate a solution, as is often done when faced with complex scientific or engineering problems. The project...

Heating accounts for over half of the energy used in homes in the UK. This Catalyst article looks at buildings designed to cut heating demand almost to zero. There are over 70,000 passive houses in Europe – just a few of them in the UK. To be described as ‘passive’, a house must meet strict criteria for energy use...

This Catalyst article explores how cyclists can use physics to explain certain limitations to their performance. Variables which may affect a cyclist's speed such as force, energy and power are considered along with formulas for calculating the correct amount of each in order to optimise performance.

The...