A Catalyst article about deciding right from wrong in biology. Modern science raises many ethical questions. How these questions can be answered either ethically or by coming to a personal decision is discussed. How ethical frameworks can be used to address ethical questions is applied to the case of genetically...

This article from School Science Review, describes the design, delivery, evaluation and impact of a CPD course for physics and chemistry teachers. A key aim of the course was to use the context of the James Webb Space Telescope project to inspire teachers and lead to enriched teaching of STEM subjects.

The...

This Catalyst article looks at the changing definition of the kilogram, a unit of mass and a base unit in the SI system (the International System of units). It has been found that the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK), made in 1879 and kept in a vault in Paris, has lost about 50microgrammes of mass over the...

This Catalyst article investigates the launch of the the Philae lander from the Rosetta spacecraft and its landing on Comet 67P.

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

Catalyst is a science...

This Catalyst article uses physics to investigate the possible causes of the sinking of the Titanic. Mike Follows explains how the hull of the Titanic was constructed to be watertight, however, the strength of the rivets used on the ship were inadequate.

The article shows how the alignment of the sun, Earth...

Almost every scientific experiment or industrial process requires a measurement of temperature. For example, the specification of the length of an object is meaningless without reference to the temperature at which the measurement was made. And all chemical and biological processes are intrinsically temperature-...

There has been a great deal of research into footedness in football. However, careful observations of what players do on the pitch reveal that the elite football heroes are much more one-footed than it was previously assumed. David Carey of Bangor University looks into the issue.

The article is from Catalyst...

This Catalyst article details how the genome of a plant called Arabidopsis has been unravelled so that this species can act as a model in genetic studies. Arabidopsis thaliana is a model species like the fruit fly Drosophila, yeast, and the bacterium Escherichia coli.  Scientists...

This Catalyst article looks at sexual selection, a form of natural selection, and the role it plays in the evolution of many organisms. The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 24, Issue 4.

Catalyst is a science...

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...

Edexcel’s GCSE Astronomy syllabus provides an opportunity for students to develop their understanding and enthusiasm for astronomy, as well as to complement and extend the reach of their study of Key Stage Four science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

This article from School Science...

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 School Science Review article outlines the Space Academy programme led by the National Space Centre from 2008 to 2011 with the stated goals of harnessing the inspirational contexts of space and climate change to support GCSE, A-level and vocational students in their curriculum studies as well as to enhance...

A Catalyst article describing the species that have had the greatest impact on planet Earth during its billions of years of history. Which come out on top of the 'league table of life'? As hominids have only walked the Earth for part of its existence the article looks at the history of life, from the dawn of...