This Catalyst article describes how the human body is affected by low atmospheric pressure at high altitudes. The article looks at the dangers that await the unwary traveller and explains how, if people understand their bodies, they can avoid the worst problems of life at high altitudes.

This article is from...

This Catalyst article explains how in nature, bioamplification causes substances to become more concentrated as they move from eater to eaten along a food chain. This sequence occurs in relation to the concentration of pesticides like DDT along a food chain, and causes problems for those animals, like birds of prey...

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service, these materials help to demonstrate effective practice. By Dereham Sixth Form College, this case study looks at the themes of knowledge and transfer technology and progression in STEM. This project aimed to look at a way of encouraging continuation of STEM...

Published in 2009 by LSIS, this report describes action research performed by Hartlepool Sixth Form College. The project was about establishing the reasons why students opt to take up science at A level and to encourage their progression into a science subject at A level from the college's partner schools....

A Catalyst article describing how the VISTA telescope, which is located in Chile, works. It detects infrared radiation - electromagnetic radiation beyond the red end of the spectrum. This has two great benefits:

*The telescope can detect radiation from distant stars which are otherwise hidden behind clouds...

A Catalyst article investigating chromosomes. In particular, the article looks at genes and explains how the chromosomes and genes a human inherits from their parents can cause problems such as sickle-cell anaemia, cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review...

A Catalyst article explaining how much of the food that humans consume comes from systems in which large numbers of plants or animals are grown under closely controlled conditions, designed to maximise production. When they grow plants as crops farmers intervene in various ways to optimise growth, so that the food...

This report looks at the very separated relationship of science and technology subjects in secondary schools at the time. It tries to identify reasons why there was very limited use of cross-curricular activities and makes recommendations to encourage better relationships, collaboration and cooperation between...

Produced in 2011, this report describes the context and parameters of Ofqual’s research into the assessments taken by learners at senior secondary level in a number of key comparator jurisdictions and outlines the progress made up to February 2011.

The purpose of this research is to make comparative...

A Catalyst article about road traffic accidents (RTAs). After the accident police and other investigators try to establish what went wrong. This may be with a view to prosecuting a motorist, or simply in an effort to improve road safety. An understanding of the physics of motion plays a large part in such...

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of harnessing technology. Learners on a BTEC level two diploma in applied science course at Mid Kent College Medway carried out a crime scene investigation as part of their ‘Investigating a crime scene’ unit by Edexcel...

A Catalyst article about the astronomer William Herschel who discovered Uranus in 1781. He became the first person since ancient times to identify a new planet. However, he is also known as the ‘accidental’ discoverer of infrared radiation. The article asks is this a fair description and can such discoveries really...

A Catalyst article about iron, a relatively abundant element that humans have made widespread use of since the Iron Age (about 750 BC). The article explores the extraction of iron ore, the chemistry of iron and the blast furnace process.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2006, Volume 16,...

A Catalyst article explaining how new data suggests that it is very unlikely that life ever existed on Mars. When the presence of water was confirmed a few years ago, there was a lot of speculation that at least simple life forms had once lived there as water is essential for every known living organism. The latest...

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...