Extremophiles - How to Find Life on Mars
This Catalyst article looks at life in extreme environments on Earth which can suggest how life might exist on Mars. One of the developments in recent years that really opened up scientists’ eyes to the possibility of life on Mars has been the realization of just how adaptable and versatile life on Earth is. The extremophiles…
Ice - Water - Steam
This Catalyst article describes an experiment in which, using a microwave oven, water can be boiled in a cup made of ice, allowing all three states of water to be seen at once. The article explains what equipment needed to carry out the experiment, instructions, and a detailed explanation of why it works.
Mount Etna - Europe's Biggest Volcano
This Catalyst article takes a look at Mount Etna on the Italian island of Sicily, the biggest and tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. The article explores the geology of the volcano, its history and the local habitat surrounding it including how the volcanic conditions create rich fertile soil.
Investigating Poisoning
Investigating serious crimes such as murder, rape and terrorism requires forensic science experts. These people work alongside the police to find the evidence that will bring the culprit to court. In this Catalyst article, Tony Hargreaves looks at criminal poisoning and shows how forensic science is used to solve serious murder cases.
Uncovering the Magical World of Signalling
This Catalyst article takes a look at the winners of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2012 who revealed how cells communicate. All functions of the human body require signals to be released, detected by a receptor in the right place and an appropriate response to be mounted. For example, hormones can be released into the blood stream…
Eating Chocolate
This Catalyst article looks at how the structure and properties of chocolate change when it is melted and re-solidified. An experiment is described in which the differences between solid chocolate, and chocolate which has been melted and re-hardened can be found, along with a detailed explanation of the physics involved in this process.
Thermometry... a Hot Topic
In this Catalyst article, Mike Follows describes the surprising range of thermometers available to scientists today. Many physical properties of materials depend on temperature. Thermometers are vital for measuring body temperature. The body's biochemical reactions work best at 37°C and the body is in serious danger if…
Fracking: an Energy Revolution?
This Catalyst article looks at hydraulic fracking, the process of breaking up rocks deep underground using high-pressure water mixed with sand and chemicals. The process has been used for decades in the energy industry to free oil and gas trapped in rock formations. However, questions have been raised over the environmental impact…
Speak to Me, Lichen
In this Catalyst article, students at La Sainte Union Catholic School in North London investigate the link between lichen species and air pollution around their school. Lichens are indicators of changes in air quality; tolerant species replace those which are sensitive to a given pollutant. This effect is observed across urban…
Hydrogen Powered Cars
As the need to find alternative cleaner forms of energy increases, scientists are looking to technologies, such as Hydrogen Fuel Cells (HFCs), as a power source for transportation. This Catalyst article explains how hydrogen and oxygen gas can be used in a redox reaction to produce electricity, and the harmless by-product, water.…
Alison Foster: a Chemist in the World of Plants
Alison Foster has combined her education in Chemistry with her love of plants to engage in some exciting projects at the University of Oxford Botanic Gardens. This Catalyst article gives a profile of her career choices, and introduces a public engagement activity called Chemistry in the Garden. Alison began her career in the pharmaceutical…
Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies or Weetabix
This Catalyst article looks at how scientists can use material recovered from archaeological sites to see how crops have been introduced to different countries over the history of farming. Three processes by which some plant material can be preserved are explained. The ratio of carbon isotopes from the collagen in animal bone can…
ALICE: Extraordinary Nuclear Adventures Underground
This Catalyst article discusses how experiments using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which discovered the Higgs boson, at the CERN laboratory can tell us about the nature of matter in the early universe. ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is one of the experiments taking place at the LHC. It breaks down nuclear matter into…
Seeing Into Bacteria
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 transporter…
Cum Grano Salis
This Catalyst article looks at salt, in particular the process of extracting salt from the sea in the salt factories of Trapani in Sicily. Located on the west coast of the island, the saline (salt ponds) were probably started by the Phoenicians around 3000 years ago. The article also looks at the structure of salt, how it is…
Seeing the Atoms That Will Shape Our Future
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 bits, leading to…
Curious About Mars
This Catalyst article looks at NASA's Mars Curiosity rover, the automated chemistry lab which landed safely on Mars in August 2012. Capable of analysing samples from the planet's surface and atmosphere, the rover will undertake two years of experiments in the hope of discovering even more about our neighbouring planet. The…
Olympic Alloys
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 and resistance to…
Careers in Biochemistry
This Catalyst article looks at young people working in biochemistry, detailing how they got to where they are and what their job involves. This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2011, Volume 22, Issue 2. Catalyst is a science magazine for students aged 14-19 years. Annual subscriptions to print copies of the…
What Is Biochemistry?
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. Catalyst is a science magazine for students…
Try This - Pouring a Gas
This Catalyst article explains how some gases can be poured, demonstrated by an experiment using carbon dioxide gas. This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2011, Volume 22, Issue 2. Catalyst is a science magazine for students aged 14-19 years. Annual subscriptions to print copies of the magazine can be purchased…
Jewellery Metals
This Catalyst article looks at how jewellery is traditionally made from metals such as gold, silver and platinum because these metals may be found in their native state and are corrosion-resistant. This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2011, Volume 22, Issue 2. Catalyst is a science magazine for students aged…
Novel Materials and Smart Applications
This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). Novel materials have surprising properties which make them useful in many applications. The interesting and unusual behaviours of these new materials can generate excitement amongst students…
5/5- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Activity sheet
Stuff and Substance: Ten Key Practicals in Chemistry
This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). Understanding the idea of a ‘substance’ is central to making sense of the variety of materials in the world and the way that they change. Research on students’ understanding…
Chemistry Captured II: Video Materials for Teachers of Chemistry
This DVD of video clips was produced by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme in partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the School of Chemistry, Cardiff University. It offers students the opportunity to view a range of reactions at close range with the ability of pausing and replaying key features. The selected…
Volcanoes from Space
This Catalyst article describes how the distribution of volcanoes across the Earth’s surface tells scientists about the underlying pattern of tectonic plates. Much can been learned about volcanoes by observing them from orbiting spacecraft. This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2011, Volume 22, Issue 1. Catalyst…
Make Your Own Lava Lamp
This Catalyst article describes how to make a lava lamp by using three simple ingredients: vegetable oil, food colouring and fizzing tablets. The article also explains the processes taking place inside a real lava lamp and why they happen. This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2011, Volume 22, Issue 1. Catalyst…
The Sand Beneath Your Feet
This Catalyst article explains how studying sand can reveal both the geological and biological history of a local environment as sand varies from place to place. Sand from near a copper smelter can contain grains of copper; grains can contain worm trails from microscopic worms living in the ocean. Even the grains themselves can contain…
Food Waste Recycling - Power from Potato Peelings
This Catalyst article describes how food waste can be treated by anaerobic digestion to produce methane and fertiliser. This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2011, Volume 22, Issue 1. Catalyst is a science magazine for students aged 14-19 years. Annual subscriptions to print copies of the magazine can be purchased…
Chemistry Captured: Video Materials for Teachers of Chemistry
This DVD of video clips was produced by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme in partnership with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the School of Chemistry, Cardiff University. It offers students the opportunity to view a range of reactions at close range with the ability of pausing and replaying key features. Reactions…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Video
When the Drugs Don't Work
This Catalyst article explains why there are many anti-bacterial drugs but few antivirals. There are millions of bacteria everywhere – on skin, in the gut, and on food. Bacteria have been troubling human beings for as long as they have been around, so a lot of effort has been directed into finding ways to fight back at them. This…
The Chemistry of the Noble Gases
This Catalyst article looks at the noble gases (Group 0 or 8 in the periodic table) which are almost inert. This article shows how they were discovered through the use of fractional distillation and looks at their chemical and physical properties. This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2011, Volume 21, Issue 3. Catalyst…