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...

A Nature of Science reader that tells the story of how scientists have searched for some simple substances from which everything else might be made. The story starts with the discovery that fire could help to obtain metals from rocks and ends with Mendeleev’s triumphant discovery of the periodic law and the...

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Describe how the sensation of hotness is caused by vibrating particles.
• Describe the mechanism of thermal conduction that can occur in all solids.
• Explain why metals are...

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Identify more than one location of evaporation
• Explain the formation of clouds.
• Describe where groundwater is found.
• Predict the permeability of a rock based on...

A Catalyst article looking at renewable energy. To tackle climate change and all the challenges imposed by the need to find alternative and reliable energy sources, there is one major resource that has remained untapped until now: wave power. This article describes the size of this resource and presents the leading...

A Catalyst article about whaling. During the last century whales were hunted and killed by many nations for the valuable materials they provided. Whale populations collapsed as a result. The article looks in detail at this example of human impact on the environment and details whale populations throughout the world...

A Catalyst article looking at how living organisms can act as biological indicators of problems in the way the environment is managed. Skylarks and other birds are disappearing from farmland. The article looks at how the statistics have been obtained, how and why bird numbers have declined and what can be done to...

This set of six books from SMILE caters for a wide range of ability and ages. The activities cover aspects of algebra, multiplication, ratio and using spreadsheets. All include teachers' notes and photocopiable activity sheets.

Many of the activities are suitable for whole class lessons and contain much...

The cs4fn magazine is a magazine on the fun side of all things to do with computer science. The authors write up computing research in a fun and accessible way that puts across their enthusiasm for the subject. Unplugged computing, computational thinking and practical applications of computers in many areas are...

The Material from North East Schools sub-collection contains material produced by primary school teachers in the North East of England who were part of a primary science focus group based at the Science Learning Centre North East and led by Rosemary Feasey. This group inspired and guided the development of the...

This Catalyst article describes the construction of the British Airways i360 tower in Brighton. It is the world’s tallest moving observation tower whose capsule is based on an ‘oblate ellipsoid’, is ten times bigger than a single London Eye capsule and is 18 metres in diameter. 

A Catalyst article about how burning fossil fuels releases extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. However, burning renewable biofuels is part of the normal carbon cycle and does not contribute to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide. This article looks at the ways in...

Work done in this Nuffield 13 - 16 module followed from the D unit called ‘Particles at work’. This D unit provided enough material for eight double periods during a Further Science course and built on the content of the S units for Single Science. The teachers’ guide...

This Catalyst article looks at the process of baking biscuits. All cooking involves chemical reactions but you are not normally aware of them happening. There is an obvious thermal decomposition reaction which takes place in the middle of this recipe – and you get fabulous ginger biscuits at the end.