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Nuclear Fusion: The Hot and Cold Science
When a group of scientists claimed they had achieved nuclear fusion, the discovery became one of the most controversial of the 20th century. What is fusion, and what role does heat play in it? Physics - Energy And Radioactivity -...
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How Hot Is the Earth's Core?
Unreachable by man, scientists have developed a complex experiment to demonstrate the heat and pressure at the centre of the Earth. Earth Science - Geology - Learning Points. The Earth's core is a dense ball of iron and nickel. To...
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Global Dimming
Even though the planet is warming, the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface is decreasing. What is causing this, and what effect does it have? Earth Science - Human Impacts - Learning Points. Global dimming is the reduction in...
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What is a Tornado?
What makes a tornado nature's most dangerous storm? Scientists are working to identify the unique set of circumstances which combine to create a tornado. Earth Science - Weather - Learning Points. Tornadoes are a violent, spinning vortex...
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Plants in Extreme Environments
To survive, plants have developed adaptations to regulate temperature and water, and maximise the capture of sunlight. Some plants have even evolved to survive in extreme environments of hot deserts and Polar regions. Biology - Plants -...
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Changing States of Matter
Water can either be a solid, a liquid or a gas. How does matter change state? Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. Ice, liquid water and steam all consist of exactly the same molecules. Evaporation occurs when the temperature...
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Making a Star on Earth
Large-scale nuclear fusion is one of the ultimate goals of science which has yet to be achieved. How does nuclear fusion work and is a future likely in which we can reproduce the power of a star on Earth? Earth Science - Earth's...
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Killer Heat Wave
Heat waves form when an area of high pressure becomes stationary over a region. The heat wave that struck Chicago brought hot sunny tropical weather, but its effects were devastating. Earth Science - Weather - Learning Points. A heat...
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The Race for Absolute Zero: Liquefying Gas
How a race between two scientists to liquefy gases led them near to absolute zero - the coldest temperature possible. Physics - Energy And Radioactivity - Learning Points. Absolute zero occurs at -273.15 degrees Celsius. Absolute zero is...
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Mass Extinction: Dinosaurs
It's been 65 million years since the dinosaurs became extinct. But what wiped them out? Hear arguments from the Gradualists and Catastrophists. Biology - Adaptation And Evolution - Learning Points. 65 million years ago the dinosaurs...
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The Great Global Warming Debate: Part 1
Can we rely on thermometer readings alone as proof of global warming? Do satellite temperature readings lead to the same conclusions? Earth Science - Human Impacts - Learning Points. Small increases in average global temperatures have...
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Intermolecular Forces
Discover the role played by intermolecular forces in changing the state of matter between solid, liquid and gas. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. Intermolecular forces are the attractive forces between molecules....
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Mendeleev's Prophecy
When Mendeleev created the Periodic Table in 1869, he also predicted the existence of elements yet to be discovered, including gallium. What are the properties of this rare metal and why was its discovery so important? Chemistry -...
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Solutions
Why and how do substances dissolve? Discover what happens when you create a solution. Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. A solution is the mixture formed when a solid dissolves in a liquid. A solvent is a liquid that can...
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The Great Global Warming Debate: Part 2
Earth's climate has changed naturally over millions of years. Could the current cycle of warming simply be part of this natural cycle? Earth Science - Human Impacts - Learning Points. The Medieval Warm Period occurred 1000 years ago....
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Energy Change of Reactions
Some reactions take in energy and some release energy. Why? And what are some common examples of each type of reaction? Chemistry - Reactions - Learning Points. An energy change occurs when reactions take place. Exothermic reactions...
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Forms of Energy
Energy comes in many forms. What are they, how do they differ and what can they be used for? Physics - Energy And Radioactivity - Learning Points. Energy is converted or transferred, but never lost. Energy is measured in joules (j)....
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The Race for Absolute Zero: Laser Cooling
Lasers are usually associated with heat. But scientists have instead used them to reach the coldest temperature ever recorded. Could they reach absolute zero? Physics - Energy And Radioactivity - Learning Points. Absolute zero is...
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What Are Stars?
What are stars made of? How are they born, how do they live, and how do they die? Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. Our nearest star is the Sun. A star is formed from a cloud of dust and gas, which shrinks under gravity and...
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Types of Weather: Introduction
The weather systems on our planet are all driven by one thing: air. Discover how our weather is driven by energy from the Sun, affecting the movement of air. Earth Science - Weather - Learning Points. Our weather is a chaotic and complex...
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Low-Level Clouds
How do the clouds closest to the Earth affect our weather? How are they formed and what do they look like? Earth Science - Weather - Learning Points. Temperature, humidity and air pressure produce ten different types of cloud. Those at...
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Place Like Home: Inside a Probe
Learn how scientists overcame huge challenges to land a probe on Saturn's moon, and why Titan is of special interest to life on Earth. Physics - Universe - Learning Points. The Cassini-Huygens probe took seven years to travel over 1...
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How to Make Fake Snow
Snow forms in the atmosphere as a result of water molecules attaching themselves to nuclei bacteria. But scientists have found ways to manipulate the freezing process of water and the production of these nuclei to create snow...
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Mars: The Search for Water
We know that Mars once had a landscape with oceans and rivers, but what happened to it? Physics - Universe - Learning Points. Although Mars is a freezing dry world today, it is thought the planet was once like Earth. If liquid water once...