This Catalyst article looks at the production of rice, which is a staple food for billions of people. It describes how crop scientists have identified varieties of rice with favourable characteristics, such as flood resistance, and are using them to develop crops with increased yield. Such crops may help to...

This Catalyst article explains how studying sand can reveal both the geological and biological history of a local environment as sand varies from place to place. Sand from near a copper smelter can contain grains of copper; grains can contain worm trails from microscopic worms living in the ocean. Even the grains...

A Catalyst article about Socotra, a small archipelago of four islands in the Indian Ocean off the horn of Africa, belonging to the Republic of Yemen. The islands are becoming famous for their range of animal and plant species and for their use as a natural 'laboratory' where ideas about evolution can be tested. The...

This Catalyst article looks at the effect exercise has on the body. Poor fitness contributes to poor life expectancy, and inability to exercise reduces quality of life in the ill or aged. Scientists hope to understand the mechanisms which limit 'exercise tolerance' which would contribute to enhanced performance for...

Most people are all too familiar with the idea of animal parasites, including tape worms, ticks and lice. But did you know that plants can also act as parasites, exploiting resources from unwilling hosts? Rather than being rare anomalies, however, there are over 4000 known species of parasitic plants, with...

This Catalyst article focuses on the Gorteria, a South African daisy which shows great variation in its flowers. It attracts bee flies to pollinate it. It has been used to test theories of evolution.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2016, Volume 27, Issue 2.

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Published by the Wellcome Trust, the 'Big Picture' explores issues around biology and medicine. The human brain may be the most complex structure in the universe.

The brain is so powerful that it is attempting to...

This article discusses how toxic gases gases can be useful in medicine, carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas but it can also help to treat some diseases.

The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2015, Volume 25, Issue 4.

Catalyst...

This Catalyst article looks at peatlands which usually conjures up images of bleak, boggy hillsides across Northern Europe, Russia and the USA. But peatlands are also found in the tropics. These currently act as a significant store of carbon, yet these valuable ecosystems are under threat; their disappearance could...

A Catalyst article about one botanist's exploratory expeditions around the world looking for new plant species.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2004, Volume 15, Issue 2.

Catalyst is a science magazine for students aged...

This Catalyst article introduces Michael Pocock, an ecologist who surveys UK environments and constructs food chains of the species he identifies. The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 25, Issue 3.

Catalyst is a...

This Catalyst article takes a look at the winners of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2012 who revealed how cells communicate.

All functions of the human body require signals to be released, detected by a receptor in the right place and an appropriate response to be mounted. For example, hormones can be...

This Catalyst article investigates osmosis: when water enters or leaves plant tissue (raw potato) according to the concentration of water in its surroundings.

The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 25, Issue 3.

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This Catalyst article explains the use of stem cells to treat medical problems, and outlines new possibilities for the use of adult stem cells in treatment.

Currently, stem cells used for treatment are embryonic stem cells, since they have the ability to form any cell type in the body. The example of the use...

This Catalyst article looks at Biochemistry, the study of chemical reactions in living things, exploring how it differs from other biological subjects and how examples can be found in everyday life.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2011, Volume 22, Issue 2.

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