Catalyst Volume 23 Issue 2

This issue of Catalyst includes the following articles:

Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies or Weetabix

This 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.

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.

The Moon, an Optical Illusion and an Iceberg: Did These Sink the Titanic?

This article uses physics to investigate the possible causes of the sinking of the Titanic.

Astronomer, Photographer

This article looks at Thomas Read, a secondary school student from Swindon who explains how he won an award at the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition 2012.

Solar Disinfection of Drinking Water

Reliance on unsafe drinking water is a significant problem in many areas of the world. This article looks at the method of solar disinfection to provide safe drinking water.

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.

What Are Stem Cells?

This article explains the use of stem cells to treat medical problems, and outlines new possibilities for the use of adult stem cells in treatment.

Winning Science

The 2012 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine was won by Gurdon and Yamanaka, for their work on adult stem cells.

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