Catalyst Volume 18 Issue 4

This issue of Catalyst contains articles on:

Body Sensors Networks

This article describes body sensor networks which are tiny electronic sensors used to monitor the movement of patients, athletes and game players.

Cool Chemistry

This article draws on the work of a scientist from the British Antarctic Survey, gathering data about climate change.

To Sleep...Perchance to Dream

It is known that it is possible to study the electrical activity of the brain during sleep. But why do people sleep? Nobody really knows!

Ancient Air in an Antarctic Ice Core

Ice cores from Antarctica contain air bubbles which record the changing atmosphere. This evidence is vital in understanding how our climate is changing.

Careers in Ecology 

Scientists with qualifications in ecology and environmental science play an increasingly important role in assessing the human impact on the Earth.

Earth's Early Atmosphere

By studying ancient rocks and sediments, scientists can deduce how the Earth's atmosphere has changed over billions of years. There used to be much less oxygen than today.

Probiotics, Prebiotics

The human gut hosts many microbes, mainly bacteria. What role do they play, and can people change their diet to encourage 'good bacteria'? 

Is Mars Dead?

This article draws on the new data suggesting that it is very unlikely that life ever existed on Mars.

Catalyst is a science magazine for students aged 14-19 years. Annual subscriptions to print copies of the magazine can be purchased from Mindsets.