A Catalyst article examining if there are harmful chemicals in farmed fish. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel contain plenty of protein, vitamins and the right sort of fats. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are released when fats are digested. The human body uses these fatty acids to...

A Catalyst article about the Kepler spacecraft, which is used to look for extra-solar planets. Scientists are hoping to shine light on the age old question of life’s existence elsewhere in the Universe using a new space-based telescope named Kepler. Launched on 6 March 2009, Kepler is searching the sky for small,...

All life forms on Earth are based on organic biochemistry. This activity requires students to analyse an unknown soil sample (just recovered from a space mission to another planet!) and look for signs of possible indicators for life. Curriculum areas covered: • Cell biology • Food tests, including starch, sugar,...

This set of activities for students builds toward them being able to answer the question 'Assess whether the UK is becoming more extreme in the 21st century.'  Initially students are asked to define the terms 'rare' and 'extreme' and then order the layers of the Earth's atmosphere. This is followed by tasks to:...

This report identified the alarming disparity between the proportions of students studying mathematics beyond the age of 16.  At that time only one-fifth of pupils in England continued to study maths at any level after achieving a GCSE - the lowest of 24 developed countries. A key recommendation from the report was...

The rush to permit controversial methods to avoid mitochondrial disease in babies raises questions, say two bioethicists.

This resource is part...

This article discusses using mini battery powered computers to sense, and report back environmental data across a wide area in the Lake District. It talks about some of the ways in which this type of robotThis article discusses using...

This video explains why astronauts float. The common misconception is that there is no gravity in space, yet the astronaut is in the Earth’s gravitational field.  Rather, the astronaut is falling towards the Earth (as is the spacecraft). However, their horizontal speed is 28,000km/hr. This and the curvature of the...

The aim of this activity is to encourage discussion about the nature of relationships between variables. It provides examples of relationships where there may appear to be correlation but not necessarily a causal relationship. The task is suitable for group or...

Newton is regarded as one of the most influential physicists and mathematicians of all time and his actual birthday depends upon which calendar is used. Under the Julian calendar which was being used in England at the time Newton was born on Christmas day 1642. However, under the currently used Gregorian calander...

This Unilever Laboratory Experiment, published in 1966, describes the use of steam distillation to separate oil from crushed cloves. The method for extracting the eugenol from the oil used carbon tetrachloride (tetrachloromethane) and so would need to be modified before this could now be done in schools and...

A resource from the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) online FE magazine which is aimed at educators interested in or teaching in the further education sector or post-16 education generally.

Odd one out, is an activity that aims to promote discussion and observation,...

This resource from the further education edition of the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) online magazine, explores how photographs could be used in lessons as starting points for mathematical discussion or exploration.

Using the context of digital devices, this article from the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) FE online magazine, explores how students might be helped to understand how decimal numbers work by considering binary numbers and manipulating them. Tables are used to explain the link...