A Catalyst article about BepiColombo, a spacecraft which will visit Mercury, powered by a revolutionary new rocket engine technology using ion engines and using a slingshot manoeuvre to accelerate it. The development of the spacecraft is an international project and will combine exciting scientific goals exploring...

This article investigates the history of models of the atom and discovers how, a century ago, scientists were devising models of the atom in an attempt to explain the limited evidence they had about the fundamental structure of matter.

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

A Catalyst article looking at how modern archaeology uses analytical chemical techniques to answer questions about ancient civilisations and animals. Scientists working at the University of Bristol match compounds present in archaeological materials to those in modern plants and animals which were likely to have...

This Catalyst article looks at how the laying of telegraph cables across the ocean bed led to the science of oceanography. Over two thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered in sea which can reach depths of 11 000 metres. The article looks at the challenge of laying cables in this environment and the history of the...

This article focuses on how monitoring the movement of tectonic by satellites is allowing scientists to monitor the build-up...

This Catalyst article takes a look at Mount Etna on the Italian island of Sicily, the biggest and tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. The article explores the geology of the volcano, its history and the local habitat surrounding it including how the volcanic conditions create...

A Catalyst article about nanotechnology, the science of building tiny devices. Opinions differ on the use of nanotechnology, one school of thought is that it will be the answer to many of the biggest challenges in medicine, electronics and defence, another is that it will lead to opening up a dangerous world of...

A Catalyst article providing examples of some drugs derived from natural substances. Many drugs which are commonly used today are similar to naturally occurring compounds which have been used for centuries to treat illnesses. Chemists have identified and purified these substances. By determining their molecular...

A Catalyst article about the Open-Air Laboratory (OPAL) project. Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) is an England-wide initiative that has received a grant from the Big Lottery Fund to bring scientists and local communities closer together. The project hopes to uncover new insights into the world by encouraging people to...

Seagrass meadows are an important environment in the Mediterranean and around Australia. They support diverse wildlife communities and act as carbon stores. This article explains what seagrass is, its value and the human threats to underwater seagrass meadows.

The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science...

A Catalyst article investigating what nitrogen and its compounds are used for. Nitrogen is colourless, odourless, non-toxic and inert, and has a wide range of uses. Nitrogen makes up seventy eight per cent of the Earth’s atmosphere by volume and has a considerable influence on respiration in plants and animals. The...

This Catalyst article looks at the work of field ecologists, discussing how ecological studies require the gathering and processing of large amounts of data. This article looks at how ant populations are studied in the field and how their study can produce information about the way living organisms exist in the...

This Catalyst article looks at OIF (Ocean Iron Fertilization) a process of pouring iron into the oceans. The theory behind it is to slow climate change by using a process that already occurs naturally. Nature has a way to draw carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air down into the ocean. If the process could be speeded up...

This Catalyst article describes the work of scientists detecting changes in the oceans. The working lives of three oceanographic scientists who are investigating the Gulf Stream are examined, as is the requirement for them to work closely with experts in other fields, such as: engineers, software developers and...

This Catalyst article looks at oil production in Trinidad and Tobago. The oil refining process and method are explained. The article also investigates the resulting human impact on the environment.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2003, Volume 13, Issue 4.

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