This article from Catalyst looks at aurora borealis caused by the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetic field. It also explains how satellites are testing thoeires of how this happens. Auroral light emission occurs at roughly 100 km altitude. Energetic electrons in the solar wind cause the...

From the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), this resource describes the new and exciting subject that brings together many different branches of science. Astrobiology is the study of how life formed and developed on the Earth, the conditions that made this possible and whether these conditions can...

This Catalyst article looks at Biochemistry, the study of chemical reactions in living things, exploring how it differs from other biological subjects and how examples can be found in everyday life.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2011, Volume 22, Issue 2.

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A Catalyst article about the many roles of chemists at work. The links with biology, physics and geology are examined as are many other subjects. The article looks at some of the areas in which chemists work and it explores what makes it distinctive from other sciences.

This article is from Catalyst:...

Geothermal energy is the heat produced by decay of radioactive isotopes deep within the Earth. The temperature at the centre of the Earth is thought to be around 5,000°C, with the temperature reducing toward the surface. It is estimated that 99.9% of the planet is above 100°C. Geothermal energy is considered a...

This Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) school briefing discusses fat as a class issue, as well as a feminist issue. Research shows that middle class families are more likely to be health-conscious eaters, and chances are the shops in their neighbourhoods offer a wider range of healthy food. The resource...

This is one of three readers published by the ASE's SATIS 16-19 project as a way of linking together a selection of the individual units. 'What is Science?' addresses philosophical questions about the nature of knowledge. The aim is to use stories and examples to show...

This student sheet invites students to consider lignification in detail. Students take thin sections from successive internodes of the shoot and calculate the lignification index of each section. These can then be compared with sections from other parts of the plants to consider where lignin is deposited in other...

With so many research groups across the world, it can be difficult for scientists to keep on top of the latest developments and findings. As well as publishing in journals (such as Nature or Science), researchers communicate their results at scientific conferences. These range in size from small, specialist...

This is one of the 14 Background Books published for Stage III of the Nuffield Chemistry Sample Scheme. The books were highly illustrated and designed to be attractive. This book is mainly an account of theories of acidity with examples to explain the importance of acids.

There are two parts to this book:...

This video explains how atoms are the fundamental building blocks of all matter and that they are made from sub-atomic particles (proton, neutron and electron). The simple structure of a hydrogen atom is made from plasticine. The video explains how adding a neutron to the hydrogen atom does not change its...

This paper recommends that more in-depth analysis of existing data, of interventions and their impact, is necessary before it can reliably be concluded that further action is necessary to improve stretch and progression in science post-16. 

Much of this video shows how many people do not understand how the seasons are caused.  There is a small section at the end that attempts to clarify the cause.  

Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this activity enables students to:
•    develop knowledge and understanding of structural defence mechanisms in plants
•    develop problem solving skills
•    demonstrate the processing of information and use of calculations

The...