Adults drink more frequently than adolescents, but when adolescents drink they tend to drink larger quantities. There is evidence to suggest that the adolescent brain responds to alcohol differently from the adult brain. Scientists at the University of Oxford are...

Alfie, aged 14, was born with chronic granulomatous disorder (CGD), a rare blood condition that stops his immune system working properly; causing him repeated bouts of serious infection. He shares his personal journey through a bone marrow transplantation to cure him of this life-threatening condition. Keywords:...

This Catalyst article looks at the work of Alfred Russel Wallace who developed a theory of evolution in parallel with Charles Darwin; they published their findings jointly. As a scientist he was interested in lots of different things, from how different species came into existence to the question of whether ghosts...

This reliable practical allows students to use algae to look at the rate of photosynthesis with quantifiable and replicable results. In this protocol, the...

Alice and Bob in Wonderland are animations produced by the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. They are based around the questions that Alice has about the physical world and how these can lead to "powerful ideas" in physics, such as energy-mass equivalence and relativity. Topics include time travel, the...

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, this booklet gives instructions on a practical demonstration of the Doppler effect. The practical uses a portable speaker an audio software to calculate the change in frequency. Included is an online video that shows the demonstration and places it in the context of...

This podcast from the Natural Environment Research Council's (NERC) Planet Earth Online collection looks at invasive species of plants and animals. Many of them are well-known. Grey squirrels, harlequin ladybirds, buddleia, Japanese knotweed - the list goes on. Some of these aliens, or invasive species to give them...

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...

These activities, from Eurostemcell, introduce students to the science of stem cells and explore four basic themes in stem cell biology: 1. What is a stem cell? – what stem cells can do; types of stem cell 2. Where do embryonic stem cells come from? – the blastocyst; cell culture; IVF 3. Why bother with stem cells...

This physics extension module from the Salters' Science course deals with binary digital electronic devices, taking a systems approach. Ideas of input, output and control are considered and the concept of feedback. The use of logic gates to control switches and latches...

In this project, students investigate and compare the waterproof and breathability properties of a range of fabrics used in clothing designed for sailing. They will find out about the different fabrics used in wet weather sailing gear. In particular, how breathable waterproofs work and what advantages and...