A Catalyst article looking at the chemicals that are in plants and trees and the role they play in the life of the plant. Starting with photosynthesis the article moves onto naturally occurring chemicals and explains why plants need fertilisers. Growing salad crops hydroponically is also examined.

This...

A Catalyst article discussing how polymers affect every day of people’s lives. With diverse characteristics and applications their usefulness can only be limited by human imagination. Due to polymers’ widespread and varied use a responsible and systematic recycling programme is both economically and environmentally...

A Catalyst article about Quantum Tunnelling Composite, a material discovered in 1997 and whose resistance decreases dramatically under pressure. How does it work and what uses will it have? The material has been carefully characterised (to understand its composition and how it works), and its first applications...

Under the banner of Building a successful network, Dr Katherine Forsey and Sue Churm consider how to create a technical network and how to get the most from it, Jenny Phillips explores the challenges FE practitioners face and Ed Walsh explains what the teacher recognition scheme...

Pioneering technical services are explored in the cover article of the summer issue of STEM Learning Magazine for Post-16 and FE sectors. Other articles describe changes to A levels and GCSEs,  provide advice on conducting A level biology practicals, and look into investigating radiation levels from space. There is...

This edition of the magazine focuses on the new approach to GCSE food preparation and n...

The Post-16 and FE STEM Learning Autumn magazine is a very interesting read. It takes you inside the Swiss time machine for a behind the scenes look at CERN as well as taking you through the battle between further education vs the machine.

This issue of the magazine includes the following articles:

• Have your Pi and eat it too by Michael Anderson
• Bananas are big business by Ed Walsh
• The E in STEM by Gill Collinson and Gemma Taylor
• Celebrating International Darwin Day by Simon Quinnell
• Applying learning...

This issue of magazine includes the following articles:

• Preparing BTEC students for university by Adrian Greenall
• Future careers in magic by Dave Gibbs
• What does a good science scheme of learning look like? by Mark Langley
• Exploring our universe by Tom Lyons
• Moving...

A Catalyst article about why human beings need salt (sodium chloride) in their diets to survive, but too much can be toxic. Where does salt come from, and what is it used for? This article looks at salt extraction and mining in England, the domestic and industrial uses of salt as well as its molecular structure....

This guide shows how the BrickPi can enable novice programmers to use Scratch to control complex robots and models.

The instructions need to be followed using Scratch on the Raspberry Pi computer. The resulting programs use different input and output devices, including touch and colour sensors and motors....

A Catalyst article about a group of young scientists testing scientific claims in advertising. The group thought many claims sounded implausible. They decided to hunt for the scientific evidence behind them and challenge the manufacturers to explain how the products work. The article outlines the investigations...

A Catalyst article describing how engineers have designed an aircraft which will produce much less noise as it approaches and leaves the airport. The Silent Aircraft Initiative is a collaboration between scientists and engineers at two universities, Cambridge (UK) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA...

A Catalyst article looking at strategies for ensuring that there is a plentiful food supply in the future and how this can be sustained.

The article looks at three main areas for scientific investigation:

*Fertilisation

*Pest control

*Genetic modification

It also looks at...

Stephanie Kwolek invented the tough polymer Kevlar, used in protective clothing and developed a method for demonstrating the production of nylon in the classroom which is still used today.

The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 25, Issue 1.

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