This poster, from the Science and Technology Facilities Council, celebrates 100 years since two scientists in the UK pioneered a technique for crystallography.

Crystallography uses x-rays to create a diffraction pattern to examine the atomic structure of crystals. The poster explains Bragg’s Law, which...

Produced in 2003, these performance descriptors for chemistry science subjects at AS and A2 levels were written to indicate the level of attainment characteristic of grades A/B and E/U boundary candidates across a series of assessment objectives. It was intended that they should be interpreted in relation to the...

Produced in 2007, these performance descriptors for science subjects at AS and A2 levels were written to indicate the level of attainment characteristic of grades A/B and E/U boundary candidates across a series of assessment objectives. It was intended that they should be interpreted in relation to the content...

This publication is a report from the Leading Space Education Programme (LSEP). This is a Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) funded project that has worked with 30 schools in England with the aim of enhancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in secondary schools and using...

This set of subject criteria were produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in 2006 for Awarding Bodies to produce AS and A level science subject specifications, in biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, geology, electronics and environmental science.

AS and A level subject criteria are...

Dr Claire Cousins and Mark Fox-Powell explain how scientists look at life that exists in extreme environments on Earth, to see what kind of life scientists might see on the surface of Mars.  This knowledge helps scientists plan the best target for a rover.

Professor Cockell takes us through the astrobiology...

Astrobiologist Dr. Lewis Dartnell talks from the Atacama Desert about a research trip to find extremophiles that might give scientists some clues as to the kind of life that may exist on the surface of Mars.  Lewis shows how quartz can act as a natural sunscreen to enable cyanobacteria to grow in the dry desert...

A collection of ten videos describing Aurora's mission to Mars. The topics covered in the films include:

• Why we explore: the film explains the...

Dr. Mark Woods explains how the rover technologies must be partly autonomous, since the signals from Earth to Mars take too long for every command to be send from Earth.  The technologies developed for space, also have applications on Earth.

This video is part of a series of ten which look at the one of the...

This Catalyst article presents the work of three chemists - Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt and Arieh Warshel - who won the 2013 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Their work allowed the development of complex computer models of compounds and reactions.

The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014,...

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...

This activity pack, managed by the British Science Association, supports the theme "Our Diverse Planet" for British Science Week (although it can be used at any time). The activities are arranged in three groups titled Diverse Jobs, Diverse People and Preserving Natural Diversity; each group describes four...

This Catalyst article explores the processes undertaken during the construction of a white water canoe course for the Olympic Games which requires a huge range of practical skills, but also great science skills too. The scientist must calculate how much noise from both the course's construction and its use during...

The CREST Awards scheme is the only nationally recognised accreditation scheme for STEM project work for 5-19 year olds. Around 40’000 students in the UK gain CREST Awards every year through investigations and enquiry-based learning, supporting them to solve real-life STEM challenges.

Benefits of...

CREST awards aim to encourage primary and secondary school students to undertake projects in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) related areas. Students' achievements can be recognised with awards at bronze, silver and gold levels.

These case studies describe how a range of schools have used...