This catalyst article looks at how scientists have analysed the isotopes of uranium in rocks in Gabon (W Africa) and shown that, for thousands of years in the distant past, a nuclear fission reaction occurred. 

This Catalyst article looks at metals and alloys which play an important role in construction at the Olympic site, both in sports equipment and in medals. Designers must consider the properties of the materials used to make both sports equipment and buildings. These include strength, density, toughness, ductility...

This resource consists of a set of tasks from the Science Assessment Tasks for More Able Students collection, produced by the Centre for Science Education. The tasks have an Olympic-inspired theme and are split into three 'quests'.

Each quest is flexible in use and freestanding in that it can be used either...

In 2012, the Olympic and Paralympic games will be held in London. These resources look at a wide range of topics that can all be linked to the games. They cover science, technology, engineering and mathematics and can be used in individual lessons or as part of a cross-curricular Olympic and Paralympic theme.

This Catalyst article looks at how computer games make increasingly sophisticated use of the laws of physics to produce convincing on-screen effects. From calculating the angle that a ball bounces off a wall to modelling the frictional forces on a rally car, physics has always played a part in the development of...

From The Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC), this guide provides practical information and advice about organising a visit to a local science-based industry. Visits can be engaging, stimulating and profitable for the students, teachers and companies...

A case study was produced by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Researchers from the EPSRC-funded Nanoscale Physics Research Laboratory (NPRL) at the University of Birmingham, have developed a nanoscale device which can diagnose prostate cancer with more accuracy than current tests....

Join Rosetta and Philae on their journey to rendezvous with a comet in these animated videos. The fairytale begins at launch and follows the comet-chasing duo on their voyage to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Each stage of the mission is...

This book from the Association for Science Education (ASE) covers the history of the discovery of electrons, the underlying science and its applications.The units suggest a variety of activities, including questions, data analysis, reading comprehension and discussion.

Contents of this book:

Unit 1: J...

This Science upd8 activity offers an opportunity to test students' understanding of the solar system, and their skills as independent enquirers, problem solvers and effective communicators. Students are part of an earth-bound team set the task of interpreting a range of data relating to the solar system/universe....

This Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC) resource looks at the amazing biology of the desert locust. Notorious as a swarming pest with a voracious appetite, in fact the locust spends most of its life as a shy solitary individual that carefully balances its food intake to match its body’s...

In this set of two activities, pupils will develop their understanding of seasons and the basic mechanism behind the different seasons on Earth. Pupils will learn that trees look different at different times of the year due to seasons, that seasonal changes can be seen from space and how to analyse images and...

This collection contains a number of resources on oral hygiene and healthy diet aimed at key stage one and two children. The resources have been provided by The Online Dentist.