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 resource is a simplified version of part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) report in 2021on the evidence for climate change and human activity that drives it. The language used is appropriate for pupils aged 14 to 16 and can be used as a reading comprehension exercise. Pupils have to...

This Catalyst article looks at how plants colonise sandy beaches, producing dune systems and ultimately new land.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2017, Volume 27, Issue 3.

Catalyst is a science magazine for students...

This Catalyst article looks at X-ray free electron lasers that generate intense beams of X-rays and are used to reveal the structure of complex molecules.

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

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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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In this Catalyst article, Mike Follows describes the surprising range of thermometers available to scientists today.

Many physical properties of materials depend on temperature. Thermometers are vital for measuring body temperature. The body's biochemical reactions work best at 37°C and the body is in...

This Catalyst article looks at thorium - a heavy element, similar to uranium. Some people think that it could be the nuclear fuel of the future, as it can be used as the fuel in a fission reactor - and it appears to be much safer than uranium.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014,...

A Catalyst article about neutrinos. Neutrinos are fundamental particles. They are tiny, a neutrino has a mass about one-millionth of the mass of an electron, and they have no electric charge. This article looks at the detection of these elusive particles which requires the use a giant detector. The one described is...

A Catalyst article about the study of electrical activity of the brain during sleep. The article looks at brain waves, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and the effects of sleep deprivation.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2008, Volume 18, Issue 4.

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This Catalyst article investigates tokamaks. A 'tokamak' is a device for generating high-temperature plasma in which nuclear fusion can occur; this may form the basis of a new generation of power stations.

The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2015, Volume 26, Issue 1.

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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 presents a series of photographs from NASA Satellites tracking Hurricane Ike from space.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2008, Volume 19, Issue 2.

Catalyst is a science magazine for students...

A Catalyst article about increased levels of carbon dioxide causing global warming. The atmosphere is being polluted when fossil fuels such as petrol are burnt releasing carbon dioxide. Despite concern about global warming, it seems nobody wants to use their cars less. The article looks at what can be done to...

A Catalyst article about wood as a renewable source of energy. Wood and biomass products could be used to generate electricity in the UK, and the article looks at the advantages and disadvantages of doing this and the technologies such energy generation would require.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE...