As the number of smartphone users worldwide exceeds 2 billion, and as users update their devices with ever-increasing frequency, there are growing concerns about the impacts of smartphone manufacture and disposal on the environment and human health. In this activity, students use knowledge about Earth resources, as well as applying their working scientifically skills, […]
BREAKING NEWS! The first baby with DNA from three parents has just been born in Mexico. The mother carries the genes for a deadly syndrome that had already caused four miscarriages and her first two children to die. Scientists spliced the egg of a third donor parent together with the mother’s mitochondria and fertilised it with the […]
December 2015 was the wettest month in the UK since records began and devastating floods affected thousands of people. Scientists believe climate change may have caused this extreme weather. In this sequence students apply their knowledge to create an apocalyptic weather report. Then they learn the skill of examining consequences, and judge solutions for limiting the temperature […]
1.2 million EU citizens have signed a petition for the complete ban of animal testing. Their argument being it is both unethical and not useful. In this activity students are asked to decide whether they agree. They apply their knowledge about how asthma affects the gas exchange system to examine evidence and decide if animal […]
Common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, is an invasive plant which is spreading across Europe. Because of illness caused by its allergenic pollen and competition with crops, it’s costing Europe an estimated €4.5 billion a year. The solution may lie with releasing non-native beetles. In this activity students evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using biological control […]
The EU has recently approved tough new measures to slash the use of plastic bags. New targets will force each country to reduce plastic bag use by 80% before 2019. In this activity students examine degradable plastic bags as a possible alternative to ordinary plastic bags. They choose questions to ask experts, and come to […]
Carriers of a inherited condition have to make many difficult decisions including what to do if they want children. In this activity students are placed in the role of a couple who are carriers of beta thalassaemia major. They are guided through how to make a difficult ethical decision and are introduced to IVF and […]