These technical briefs look at agricultural production in many parts of the world, carried out on a small-scale by farmers. Relatively small improvements in agricultural practice can have a big impact on yield and dramatically improve the life of a farmer and their family.

Technical briefs are documents...

From the National Non-Food Crops centre (NNFC), this factsheet reviews the potential of anaerobic digestion technology and its suitability to UK farming and waste systems. The factsheet describes the application of anaerobic digestion (AD), which is the conversion of organic non-woody material in the absence of...

Produced by Understanding Animal Research, this information leaflet looks at examples of how animal research has led to the understanding of medical conditions and the development of new therapies.

Animal research has been important in the development of many major medical advances. Studies that use animals...

Produced by Understanding Animal Research, this information leaflet looks at how many animals are used in the UK, the types of research undertaken and the species of animals involved.

Both of these leaflets use official figures to provide a precise snapshot of the extent of animal research in the UK in 2011...

Produced by Understanding Animal Research, this information leaflet looks at the replacement, refinement and reduction (3R's) principle in animal research. It describes:
* Replacement of animals in research with alternative techniques;
* Refinement of scientific procedures to enhance animal welfare;...

This booklet is designed to support teachers working with pupils on the issues surrounding the use of animals in medicines research. Whether used in the context of Citizenship, PSE, Science, English or RE, it aims to provide a useful resource for both teachers and pupils across the UK.

This resource provides Key Stage Three National Strategy training materials to run a day session with science teachers to help them develop an understanding of the key elements of Assessment for Learning and how it might affect their practice.

This training resource from the National Strategies considers the causes of poor behaviour for learning as well as staff behaviour and its impact on learning. The aim is for teachers to: • Develop an understanding of how both student and teacher emotions can impact on learning. • Develop some strategies to avoid...

Dr Tim Gabriel’s job involves making materials for batteries and solar cells which have tiny structures and shapes, allowing them to work more efficiently. He describes how his combined degree in chemistry and languages allowed him to spend a year in France. Tim also explains how his research career helped him to...

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...

Biomedical Horizons is a multi-pronged project, funded by the Wellcome Trust, designed to raise awareness and spark discussion about the biomedical sciences – from pursuing a career to their role within society.

The aim of this resource is to:
* raise awareness of biomedical sciences and the variety...

The British Biology Olympiad (BBO) is open to students around the world.The BBO challenges and stimulates students with an interest in biology to expand and extend their talents. In offering a wider syllabus than A level, it allows students to demonstrate their knowledge and to be suitably rewarded and publicly...

This resource, produced by SEPNet and Queen Mary University of London, uses Lego to represent the building blocks of matter. Different colour Lego bricks are assigned to different quarks and leptons. The quarks can be put together to make hadrons, such as protons and neutrons. The blocks can also be used to show...

Produced by Science & Plants for Schools (SAPS), this investigation enables students to investigate the process of mitosis in a growing root tip. The mitotic index is the fraction of cells in a microscope field which contain condensed chromosomes.

In this activity students prepare and stain root tips....