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Showing 10 results from a total of 234

Understand issue5stress
| Issue 5

Taking the stress out of engineering

Darren Hughes from the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France takes a look at stress. How can it be manipulated to make safer rails for trains or more efficient wind turbines – and what can we learn from neutron- and X-ray analysis?

Ages: 14-16, 16-19;
Topics: Physics, Chemistry, Engineering
     

Understand issue5plastic
| Issue 5

Plastics, naturally

We sit on them, wear them and cook with them: plastics are everywhere. Yet this very versatility makes it difficult to produce and dispose of plastics in environmentally friendly ways. David Bradley explains how researchers at the University of Manchester, UK, are working on a solution.

Ages: 14-16, 16-19;
Topics: Biology, Chemistry, Earth science
                 

Understand issue4witchmedicine
| Issue 4

Plant hallucinogens as magical medicines

Did witches once soar through the night sky on broomsticks? Or were they hallucinating after eating or touching certain plants? Angelika Börsch-Haubold explains how modern pharmacology helps us to understand the action of many toxic plants – some of which are still used in medicine.

Ages: 16-19;
Topics: Biology, Chemistry
     

Understand issue4spider silk
| Issue 4

Silken, stretchy and stronger than steel!

Could spider silk be the answer to medical and military challenges? Giovanna Cicognani from the Institut Laue-Langevin and Montserrat Capellas from the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, France, investigate Christian Riekel and Tilo Seydel’s research into this remarkable material.

Ages: 16-19;
Topics: Physics, Biology, Chemistry
           

Understand issue3jeffreys
| Issue 3

Alec Jeffreys interview: a pioneer on the frontier of human diversity

Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, the inventor of DNA fingerprinting, remembers his childhood passion for science, explains what we have learned from direct DNA analysis, and describes his work with Chernobyl survivors. Interviewed by Russ Hodge and Anna-Lynn Wegener from the European Molecular Biology…

Ages: 16-19;
Topics: Biology, General science, Chemistry, Science and society
     

Understand issue1MaryRose
| Issue 1

Shipwreck: science to the rescue!

The Mary Rose is one of several famous and historical ships salvaged from the sea in recent decades. Thanks to the anaerobic conditions on the seabed, the remains are well preserved. Montserrat Capellas and Dominique Cornuéjols from the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), in Grenoble,…

Ages: 16-19;
Topics: Chemistry
       

Understand issue1fusion
| Issue 1

Fusion – ace in the energy pack?

The energy demands of our society continue to increase, while the stocks of fossil fuels - still our major energy source - are declining. Chris Warrick from the European Fusion Development Agreement explains why research into fusion offers the hope of a safe and environmentally responsible energy…

Ages: 16-19;
Topics: Physics, Chemistry, Earth science, Engineering