In these activities, pupils are introduced to the idea of controlled or uncontrolled re-entry for satellites. They are challenged to devise a way of reducing space debris by designing alterations to satellites so that they bring themselves back to Earth. In the first activity, the students pretend to be satellites...

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...

Astronauts have been taking photographs of the Earth from space for over 50 years and Earth observation ...

Human beings are pretty smart. We have transformed the world and thought up some wondrous inventions. But what will the future hold for planet Earth and the people who inhabit it? Can we use new technology and innovations to improve the quality of our lives as well as the world we live in?

Aimed at primary level, this pack contains a range of different activities which and are intended to stretch the imagination. The activities cover a mixture of topics including: materials and their properties, Earth and Space,...

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...

For the last few billion years an asteroid has been journeying through the cold expanses of space, on course to hit planet Earth! As it collides with the Earth, it lights up the skies and smashes the ground. Luckily for you, scientists saw it coming and you were evacuated to an underground bunker. Your challenge...

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...

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. 

This collection of practical activities, investigations and games is all based on current lunar research. It supports many aspects of working scientifically and links to area of the curriculum including: earth and space, light and shadows, forces, materials, changes of state and rocks and soils. Activities are...

These resources, from the HE STEM Programme South West, were produced  to enable academic staff, undergraduates, masters and PhD students in higher education institutions to undertake more effective outreach  through a better understanding of theory and practices with regard to school curricula and learning ...

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...