This Catalyst article describes how biophysics is helping in the search for novel antibiotics. Bacteria produce an array of proteins to kill off their competitors. These proteins, called bacteriocins, are very efficient at penetrating the defensive outer layers of bacteria cells by moving through specific membrane...

This resource will let students see pink elephants. When the human eye is exposed to one colour for a relatively long period of time, the cone cells will become saturated with that colour. Once the eye is exposed to a broad range of colours again, the brain will pick up weaker signals from that colour and an image...

In these resources from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), students look at the scientific and factual side of this important aspect of the curriculum. The Key Stage Three lessons look at how plants can be used to clean up contaminated land and the science of acid rain. The Key Stage Four lessons...

These resources from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) look at parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. The Key Stage Three resources look at how synchotron radiation is used to look at the structure of proteins and viruses. The Key Stage Four lesson focuses on infrared radiation and its uses,...

In these STFC resources, students discover fascinating facts about materials and their properties. The Key Stage Three resources look at the many different facets of cement. The Key Stage Four resources examine ethics and science of oil drilling, oil being the basis for the plastics industry. The resource also...

The Science and Technology Facilities Council offers a variety of lessons to support secondary teaching of space science. The Key Stage Three resources consist of nine lessons based on the QCA programme of study:

•Our solar system
•Moving Earth
•Using models
•Because I said so!
•Is...

A Catalyst article about light pollution which is a growing problem, especially for astronomers, obscuring the view of the Moon, stars and planets. Astronomers are campaigning to reduce the pollution and bring the night sky back into view. With the aid of statistics the article makes the case for better street...

This activity allows students to investigate how images are produced from data streams by using first a spreadsheet and then an image-processing program. They then go on to see how the usefulness of such a monochromatic image may be enhanced by using lookup tables and calibration. The materials used focus on the...

Work done in this Nuffield 13 to 16 module followed from the unit called ‘Senses’. This B unit provided enough material for six double periods in the third year of secondary school (year nine). The teachers’ guide included 11 worksheets to supplement the students’ booklet. The general introduction in the teachers’...

This resource features five short tasks that involves structure in expressions.

An example task is to simplify an expression that contains square roots.

This task resource is from the Mathematics Assessment Resource Service, a collaboration between UC Berkeley and the Shell Centre team at the...

As transistors become smaller, the doping of semi-conductors becomes a significant challenge. This Catalyst article looks at how Scanning Tunnelling Microscopes can be used to manipulate individual atoms, to create electronic devices of unprecedented accuracy. The technique could also be used to fabricate quantum...

This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP) and produced in partnership with the British Geological Survey. Earthquakes release huge amounts of stored energy, causing movements of the...

In this resource designed by the IET, students explore statistics and use them to decide on a ranking of football players. Football players are ranked in different ways and there are a variety of awards they can be presented with. For example, each year the Ballon D’Or is awarded to the player judged to be the ‘...

This activity encourages learners to think and talk about the maths they might need in Agriculture and Animal Care, and helps them and their teacher find engaging starting points. The objectives of the activity are to become aware of and reflect on personal attitude to maths, to become aware of some of the maths...