A Catalyst article about biologists looking for patterns in the distribution of barnacle species on the sea shore. Barnacles are arthropods which live as tiny larvae in the sea and then cement themselves, head down, on suitable rocks, build a shell, poke their legs out of the top of it and start to filter feed. The...

A Catalyst article about Darwin's travels on the Beagle which gave him ideas about evolution. Darwin spent almost five years on board HMS Beagle as it sailed around the world. The purpose of the voyage was to map navigation channels around the coast of South America. Darwin was the ship’s naturalist and companion...

Produced by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) as part of their 'At Work With Science' series, this resource looks at a hypothetical, but realistic, project aimed at producing a new way of treating bacterial infections. In this activity, students first consider what features are important...

Amy is an ecologist working with the Forestry Commission. Amy is very frank in the video about her school history, describing her school reports as "less than shiny", and the video conveys how applied scientific research focuses her naturally curious nature.

In the video Amy describes how she writes computer...

This Biochemical Society careers resource is aimed at students and provides an overview of the impact of biochemistry on other areas of science, a description of what biochemistry is and an illustration of the range of organisations which employ biochemists.

There is also a description of the types of...

This colourful leaflet from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) looks at what biodiversity is and why it matters. It also explains how human activities threaten the natural environment, endangering species and habitats and what we are doing about the problem. The resource includes a list of research...

These We Are Aliens! related biology activities for the class room have been devised by Chris Carr. The resources includes practical activities and worksheets. Supporting videos demonstrate the activities. The following curriculum areas are covered: • Cell biology • Food tests, including starch, sugar, protein and...

Produced by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), these naked Scientist podcasts look at biology questions in an accessible and informative way.

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A Catalyst article describing how glow worms and other insects emit light by bioluminescence. All over the world, on land and in the sea, living things have been making light for millions of years. From the glow of the sea on a dark night due to myriads of phytoplankton, to the dance of the male fireflies trying to...

These resources can be used as a context to look at 14-16 and post-16 biology curriculum areas of:

• vision and the eye

• structure and function of the retina

• development and use of biomaterials

• tissue transplants and stem cells in the treatment of human disorders

• working...

This Catalyst article investigates biomimetics and discovers how scientists are finding ways of copying ideas from nature to improve products. The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2015, Volume 26, Issue...

From the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC), these two podcasts explore a range of applications and issues in the biorenewables sector. They are primarily aimed at a commercial audience but may be of use to teachers who want to gain a better understanding of plant-derived materials or, when used in part, as...

This poster illustrates how biotechnology is used to develop new medicines, grow new tissues and organs, and genetic testing.

A cluster of practical activities for students to explore biotechnology involving viability of yeast, fruit juice production, milk products, fungal inhibition and microbial growth curves.

This Catalyst article looks at orchids, their breeding, and why they have great commercial value. The family of Orchidaceae is one of the largest plant families, with about 900 genera and 25,000 species. Orchids are amongst the oldest flowering plants. After a long evolution, they have developed a very intimate...