It takes a lot of rare natural resources and energy to make a mobile phone, laptop or computer, the modern technology we use every day. That is why many scientists would like to take inspiration from Mother Nature to help us to make more environmentally-friendly machines in the future.

This Catalyst article...

Produced by The Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC), these materials look at nuclear fission and nuclear reactors.

The activities examine the trend in reactivity of the metals in group II of the periodic table and includes a brief study of isotopes in relation to nuclear fission and nuclear...

Data on magpies has been collected for more than 100 years – this data set, collected across Europe, brings this historical data into one convenient file.

The resource includes relevant information relating to the measurement of magpies, alive or dead, as well as migration patterns and distribution across...

Mah Hussain-Gambles is a biker, a rock music fan and a pharmacologist. Her childhood began in Pakistan and ended in Hull, where she was the only student with Asian heritage at her comprehensive school.

Following a degree in pharmacology, success as a scientist in industry and as social scientist in academia...

This report, published by Ofsted in November 2013, sets out the findings of a new survey of science in 91 primary and 89 secondary schools, which was carried out between 2010 and 2013 and aims to support schools in implementing the new National Curriculum.

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the theme of knowledge and technology transfer. The study offers an example of how Newcastle College, became involved in a European Union funded project that involved four countries.

Involvement in the project provided...

These wide-ranging materials include interactive animations and print-based resources covering various science themes. The six major resources are: *Chemwars - an interactive game approach to teaching about reactivity, complete with video clips of the reactions *Generating resources - a selection of activities...

These wide-ranging materials include interactive animations and print-based resources covering various science themes. The major resources are: Good to eat - an interactive resource that introduces nutrition, and offers students the chance to have their say on healthy eating. Electricity - an interactive animation...

These wide-ranging materials include interactive animations and print-based resources focusing on a space theme. The six major resources are: *Planet 10 - a virtual model of our solar system *Secrets of the ice - a practical activity to teach pupils about pollution and environmental change. It is set in the context...

These wide-ranging materials include interactive animations and print-based resources, all with a human biology theme. The six major resources are: * Passport - a method of recording transition activities for students moving from primary to secondary school * Flesheaters - an X-Files style interactive adventure to...

These wide-ranging materials include interactive animations and print-based resources based on the Can we; Should we? theme. The major resources are: *Zoos - many pupils have strong views about the role of zoos in our society.This activity improves pupils' ability to select relevant information for a presentation,...

This activity shows how a paper aeroplane, glider or helicopter falls to the ground much more slowly and gracefully than a scrunched-up piece of paper. It’s all thanks to the forces generated by air pressing on, and moving over, the surface of the paper.

Learning outcomes:

• Investigate how...

This Catalyst article explains how to make an elastic band using Copydex, a source of rubber latex. Rubber latex is a liquid polymer. It is made of long molecules which are all separate. Elastic bands are made by cross-linking the polymers in rubber latex. This changes the properties of the polymer and forms a...

This Catalyst article describes how an indicator changes colour when in solutions of different pH. Most indicators simply turn one colour in acid and another in alkali, although they are often an in-between colour when neutral. A universal indicator only turns as many colours as it does because it is a mixture of...