This podcast from the Natural Environment Research Council's (NERC) Planet Earth Online collection looks at how scientists are using fish scales to figure out why the UK salmon population is falling; and how carbon dioxide emissions from power stations could be used to make household bricks.

Salmon numbers...

From Understanding Animal Research, these materials help students understand the process of drug discovery and development. It shows that the drug discovery process is long and complex and involves several different stages, including basic research, animal testing and clinical trials. The materials include: *...

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 Catalyst article introduces Tom Denbigh who describes how he has worked as a volunteer on scientific projects to gain experience before his degree course.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2011...

Produced by Rolls-Royce, this series of case studies illustrates the wide range of career opportunities that are opened up for students with skills in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. They can be used to give careers advice and guidance to students as well as to illustrate the curriculum principles...

Produced by Rolls-Royce, this entertaining video clip takes the form of an animated rap which describes a range of career opportunities open to students with skills in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). It makes a good...

Following the successful rendezvous of the Rosetta spacecraft, with comet 67P, this Catalyst article explains how a smaller spacecraft will land on the surface of the comet. Philae is due to land on the comet on 12 November 2014, the first ever attempt to land an object on the surface of a comet.

The article...

A poster for teachers to use within the classroom, produced by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). On the front is a timeline featuring prominent figures who developed the use of statistics, with accompanying teachers’ notes on the back. The timeline looks at landmark events in social science from 1662...

In this activity students take on the role of Earth observation scientists submitting a request for an image they would like for their research. This gives them the opportunity to consider the possibilities of pictures taken from orbit (and the limitations) and to write scientifically for a specific audience. It...

In this activity children take on the role of Earth observation scientists submitting a request for an image they would like for their research. This gives them the opportunity to consider the possibilities of pictures taken from orbit (and the limitations) and to write scientifically for a specific audience. It...

The video begins by showing the many misconceptions that people have concerning the Earth’s formation.  It then explains that the Earth was formed from elements formed in stars.

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The video begins by demonstrating the many misconceptions people have about the source of the sun’s energy. Using water-filled spheres, collisions between protons are modelled and the creation of energy and helium nuclei. The equation E=MC² is introduced and is used to show that mass is converted into...