Catalyst Volume 17 Issue 1

This issue of Catalyst includes the following articles:

Impact Earth

Astronomers say that, one day, a giant rock from space will collide with the Earth and cause mass devastation. This could lead to the extinction of many species, including humans. Is there anything we people do to prepare for such an impact?

Food Technology - Careers

This article looks at careers in the food industry.

Testing New Medicines

New medicines cannot be prescribed until they have been tested to see if they are safe for people to take. This article explores the processes involved, from laboratory tests to clinical trials.

Alchemy

Alchemy is the study of eternal life, salvation, and the answer to the ultimate questions about life, the universe and everything. It flourished for more than 1500 years until, in the late 1600s, the beginnings of modern, scientific chemistry edged it aside. But what was alchemy and who were the alchemists?

TBL @ WWW

This article introduces Tim Berners-Lee, the founder of the World Wide Web.

Biofuels

Burning fossil fuels releases extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. However, burning renewable biofuels is part of the normal carbon cycle and does not contribute to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide. This article examines the ways in which the energy stored in biofuels can be released.

Blood Pressure

Fainting can be the result of a sudden drop in your blood pressure, which is often part of a shock reaction. This article investigates how and why people’s blood pressure may vary.

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