Di-deoxy sequencing is a way to determine the order of bases (A,C,G and T) in a piece of DNA.  A set of 4 lanes (one for each base) is needed to sequence any given piece of DNA. Wherever a black band appears in a particular lane...

From the ABPI this interactive resource provides students with information on the cause, symptoms and treatment of diabetes. The resource is offered at two levels, for students aged 14-16 and an advanced version for post-16 students.

Please note: From 2021, Adobe has discontinued support for Flash player...

A Catalyst article about juvenile diabetes, a genetic disease also known as Type 1 diabetes, which affects over 200,000 people in the UK. Scientists are still trying to unravel its causes in order to develop improved treatments. This article describes what is being done to improve people’s understanding of the...

In this activity, students use similar triangles to estimate the diameter of the moon.

A Catalyst article about a brilliant new light source under construction in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside - the Diamond Light Source. Diamond will be a source of synchrotron light. Many of the everyday commodities people take for granted, from chocolate to cosmetics, from revolutionary drugs to surgical...

This game helps children develop an awareness of some of the different roles that scientists do. They find out about different jobs in science and some of the investigations that scientists are involved in, which help to solve problems  in the Real World.  It may be used to...

This Catalyst article looks at diamond and graphite which are allotropes of carbon. Their properties which depend on the bonding between the carbon atoms are also examined.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2016, Volume 27, Issue 2.

A Catalyst article about diamonds. The element carbon exists in a number of allotropic forms, but diamonds have always held a special allure, whether it be for their hardness or for their transparency. The article examines how they can be made artificially and looks at some of their uses.

This article is...

This Catalyst article looks at diamonds and shows how they have extraordinary properties: optical, thermal and when exposed to X-rays.

This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2016, Volume 27, Issue 2.

Catalyst is a science...

This Triple Crossed activity from the Centre for Science Education and supported by the Astra Zeneca Teaching Trust starts with a quiz asking students to answer questions about the history of space exploration.

They are then asked to consider the evidence provided and use it to establish an argument for...

From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet looks at the uses of oils derived from plant materials. This includes:

• soaps and detergents
• healthcare
• beauty products
• feedstocks for the chemical industry
• lubricants
• fuel.

These posters, from the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC), help children to find out more about non-food crops, their uses and benefits. Making products out of renewable materials from non-food crops can be part of a solution to climate change. Renewable materials can help reduce carbon footprints. The NNFCC...

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

• Explain what humans need in their diet and why.
• Identify short-term and long-term effects of exercise on the human body.
• Predict the possible outcomes of eating too much...

In this activity children keep a food and drink diary for a few days, also recording when they brush their teeth. They then identify food that they think and healthy and unhealthy and those that contain sugar that could cause tooth decay. They look at food...

Julia is a dietitian for Addenbrookes Hospital, she discusses her role in this video. Curriculum links include malnutrition, food groups, healthy diet and nutrition.