The mission of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is to gather and apply knowledge, improve understanding and predict the behaviour of the natural environment and its resources. It was established in 1965.

NERC funds and manages research and training in earth system science, advancing knowledge...

This item is one of over 25,000 physical resources available from the Resources Collection. The Archive Collection covers over 50 years of curriculum development in the STEM subjects. The Contemporary Collection includes the latest publications from UK educational publishers.

 These materials look at three possible projects that relate to sustainable travel.

* Communications project - students gather information and explain about ‘green’ transport policies, reducing and offsetting carbon footprints.

* Practical project - students investigate how to compare carbon dioxide...

This podcast from the Planet Earth Online collection and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) looks at how carbon capture and storage works, why it's here to stay, the effect of floodplains on water pollution, and how the thickness of polar ice can be measured from space. The venue for this Planet Earth...

Geothermal energy is the heat produced by decay of radioactive isotopes deep within the Earth. The temperature at the centre of the Earth is thought to be around 5,000°C, with the temperature reducing toward the surface. It is estimated that 99.9% of the planet is above 100°C. Geothermal energy is considered a...

This module outlines the main features of the Primary Mission for the CanSat Competition. In the Primary Mission, teams must measure the temperature and pressure and send the information to their ground station. Students will learn about the differences between the sensors they can use and about the challenges...

Astrium is Europe’s largest space company, employing 3,500 people in the UK alone. Astrium produces some of the world’s leading edge earth observation, science and telecommunication satellites in one of the most exciting sectors of the engineering profession. 

Produced for Future Morph, this resource contains a video in which an apprentice plumber talks about his work in a renewable energy company installing solar water panels. The theory and practicals he learns in college is applied in the workplace. A second activity looks at a demonstration that illustrates the...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), is one of a series of activities which explores body centric communications. Students study data and annotate a diagram to show what electromagnetic radiation can penetrate the atmosphere. The...

In this activity students design and model a 3D robot arm. Robot arms are an example of a programmable system. They are used in a wide variety of industrial applications, ranging from loading machines to assembling cars, welding parts together and spray painting products. They are also used in applications such as...

In this activity students design and model a robot arm in 2D, need to be able to name the main parts of a robot arm and to be able to design and make a 2D card model of a 3D product. Robot arms are an example of a programmable system. They are used in a wide variety of industrial applications, ranging from loading...

In this activity, students are challenged to put on a show – either a live stage show or a recorded television show – to give a theatrical Earth science demonstration. Several demostrations are suggested for students to master: Growing crystals 1. Crystals from melts 2. Crystals from vapour 3. Crystals from...

This Catalyst article investigates the development of better, more energy-efficient solar cells. Every minute enough sunlight strikes the Earth to power our civilisation for a year, yet less than 1% of global energy generation is provided by solar energy. Solar cells convert sunshine directly to electricity, but to...