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...

With just a few materials, building a paper model of the International Space Station (ISS) can become a class project. This publication contains a brief overview of the ISS, its parts, the science that occurs on board, instructions, and extension fact sheets. Learn about the ISS, explore fun facts, simulate...

A case study from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) which looks at the forensic evidence and intelligence that are left at crime scenes by footwear, gloves, tyres and fingers. New Latent Image Markup and Analysis (LIMA) software provides a fast, accurate way of transmitting and...

These technical briefs focus on energy access as a key element in lifting people out of poverty. In remote locations small-scale renewable...

In this resource, students use real data to explore the conditions on Mars, and use their knowledge of the red planet to answer the question “Should humans or robots explore Mars in the future?”

The resource contains two activities:

• Conditions on Mars - students use real data and their...

Futurecade was developed as an interactive suite of games allowing students to explore how science and technology impacts on their everyday lives. These resources were developed to accompany the games which were inspired by technology in the fields of robotics, satellites and space junk, geo-engineering...

This topic, from the Association for Science Education, allows classes in schools across the world to explore and exchange information about the applications of photovoltaic devices. The version of the topic that can be downloaded here is a trial version and is provided only in English. This resource was edited by...

Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation and they penetrate into human tissue. There is still a significant debate about the safety of holding even a low power microwave transmitter next to your brain or keeping it in a trouser pocket. The possibility of...

This activity, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), allows students to compare old and new technologies (railway five-pointer telegraph against the SMS message) to experience how significant the advances in technology have been. The nature of...

This Practical Action resource presents a fun hands-on and brains-on challenge for Key Stages Two to Five.

The problem:...

These technical briefs focus on ways to transport goods and people in a relatively low cost way. This is important to people in the...