This Catalyst article looks at 'Restored Hearing', a business which grew out of a school science project. It provides therapy for sufferers of temporary tinnitus, a debilitating hearing condition caused by exposure to loud noises. The article looks at how hearing loss can occur and how also explains how the...

A Catalyst article about how engineers use their understanding of sound waves to develop highly realistic sound systems for films, music systems and computer games. The same ideas can help people with eyesight and hearing problems. Sound waves are affected by their surroundings and the article examines this along...

Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of progression in STEM and employer engagement. Written by Rotherham College of Arts and Technology, it describes how colleges and universities from South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire have formed a...

This Catalyst article looks at the work of Robert Hooke, an employee of the Royal Society, Britain's oldest scientific society. His job was to present two or three different experiments each week to the assembled members of the society – and this was at a time when experimentation was new and there were no books of...

A Catalyst article about high-level nuclear waste. It is hot, corrosive and a source of intense radiation. The nuclear industry is seeking safe ways to deal with such waste, and wants the public to help shape the decisions that are made. This article presents some information about the options for the storage of...

A Catalyst article about a Kenyan scientist who is searching for better treatments for malaria, a disease which kills more than a million people in Africa each year. The article also explains some of the challenges of doing science in Africa, where funding is low. Often the illness shows a remarkable ability to...

A Catalyst article about ants. A colony consists of hundreds, even thousands, of ants working diligently and cooperatively, perhaps to kill and carry a large prey item, build a large nest structure or develop and use road-like networks for foraging. Collectively, colonies of social insects can do amazing things and...

A Catalyst article about the Hubble telescope exploring a barred spiral galaxy, known as NGC1672 in the astronomers’ New General Catalogue. The image was made by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), and was released in April 2007. NGC 1672 is situated 60 million light years away, in the constellation of Dorado. The...

A Catalyst article about Hurricane Katrina which caused many deaths in August 2005, and vast damage along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico in the USA. Hurricanes are an unfamiliar phenomenon here in the UK. Why is this? And can people expect to see more hurricanes in future as a result of climate change? The...

A Catalyst article about hydrogels. Soft contact lenses, disposable nappies, hair gel and plant water crystals all make use of substances called hydrogels. These are polymers which have the unusual property of being able to absorb huge quantities of water. The article looks at the structure of hydrogels and their...

This book invites teachers to explore some of the many scientific results from the CryoSat mission. The book describes key techniques of precise radar and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) altimetry, and reviews state-of-the-art achievements. The book is intended as a living document, and will continue to capture new...

This managing bullying in schools document from the Department of Education looks at how Saint Benedict Academy identifies bullying through anonymous email reports. The resource explores the school's 'Hero' email system to identify bullying and other strategies that raise awareness of bullying, as part of the...

This report from Ofsted represents the findings from a survey of post-16 science provision in 18 colleges and schools where provision had been judged to be good or outstanding at their previous inspection. Between October 2006 and April 2007 five schools, nine sixth form colleges, one tertiary college and three...

A Catalyst article about the discovery of puerperal fever by Ignaz Semmelweis a doctor in a maternity ward in Vienna general hospital. The article looks at his observations into death rates and shows how scientists use observations and theories to make practical changes that can improve life. In the case of...

A Catalyst article about giant asteroids. Astronomers say that, one day, a giant rock from space will collide with the Earth and cause mass devastation. This could lead to the extinction of many species, including humans. The article looks at what can be done to prepare for such an impact and what happened when a...