Since the epidemic of ‘mad cow disease’ in the 1980s and 90s, and the emergence of its human equivalent, variant Creutzfeld-Jacob disease, there has been a great deal of research into prions, the causative agents. Mico Tatalovic reviews the current state of knowledge.
Nanoscale: Visualizing an Invisible World is a beautifully produced book, filled with engaging text and attractive illustrations, which provides a captivating tour of the ‘invisible’ world of the nanoscale.
Helke Hillebrand has always been fascinated by science, but on the back of a career in plant biology, her urge to work more closely with people helped her decide to go into tending young minds instead of new shoots. Vienna Leigh reports.
Earthquakes, global climate or the placement of wind farms – with the help of geographic information systems, these can all be investigated dynamically in the classroom. Joseph Kerski describes how.
We’ve all sometimes felt ‘beside ourselves’, but have you ever felt that you were actually outside yourself – looking at yourself from outside your own body? Marta Paterlini talked to Henrik Ehrsson, a scientist studying this phenomenon.
Ages: 14-16; Topics: Biology, General science, Health, Science and society
Are you looking for ideas to spice up your earth science class? Why not try out one of the rich collection of activities developed by Chris King, Elizabeth Devon and Peter Kennett from Earth Learning Idea.
This year has been proclaimed the International Year of Biodiversity. During 2010, governments will seek to reach agreement on a new biodiversity target, to be decided at the Nagoya summit in October. Will this enable us to save not only whales and tigers, but also our own species? Marlene Rau…
Werner and Gabriele Stetzenbach tell us how kindergarten and primary-school children discover the world of physics together with secondary-school students as their mentors. Why not try it in your school?
When I recently told a taxi driver that I was on my way to give a lecture on evolution in northern Germany, the young man asked me, looking straight ahead, “So, do you think Darwin got it right?” A bit taken aback, I answered that yes, by and large, Darwin had got it just right – only to be…
We know that particular genetic sequences can help us to survive in our environment – this is the basis of evolution. But demonstrating which genetic sequences are beneficial and how they help us to survive is not easy – especially in wild populations. Jarek Bryk describes some relevant recent…
