The explosive reactions and forces, from gravity to nuclear fsion, which formed our Solar System. Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. Our Solar System is the region of space which falls within the gravitational influence of our...

How comets change as they journey around the Sun, what are they made of and where are they found? Physics - Universe - Learning Points. Comets formed from dust and ice particles when the Solar System was very young. There are at least a...

Why do we cook our food wrapped in aluminium foil? Why does metal rust? It all comes down to oxidation reactions. Discover what happens to cause these reactions, and how to stop them. Chemistry - ReactionsLearning Points. The combustion...

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...

The landscape of this national park was shaped by ice - carving the valleys, waterfalls and sheer cliffs that attract tourists from all over the world. Earth Science - Geology - Learning Points. Glacial ice has reshaped the landscape of...

How are new species created? An insight into the key evolutionary processes, played out over many generations, which lead to speciation. Biology - Adaptation And Evolution - Learning Points. We all originate from a single cell, so why...

Revealing the amazing and unique properties of stem cells, and how they can be used to regenerate tissues. Biology - Cells And DNA - Learning Points. There are three different types of stem cell: embryonic, foetal and adult. Stem cells...

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...

How are asteroids in our Solar System formed, where are they found, and what danger do they pose to life on Earth? Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. Asteroids are made from rock, metal or carbon, while comets are made of rock...

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...

Since Galileo first sighted Saturn, scientists have been baffled by its beautiful rings. What are they made of and where did they come from? Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. Saturn's rings were first discovered by Galileo in...

Discovered in 1985, Buckminsterfullerene has some fascinating characteristics. What is it and how is it shaping the future of chemistry? Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding - Learning Points. In the 1980s, a new carbon allotraope was found -...

Every living thing on our planet, from plants to animals, is made up of cells. Cells are the building blocks of life, but what are they and how do they work? Biology - Cells And DNA - Learning Points. All cells have vital genetic...

Billions of years ago, Earth collided with its twin planet Theia. The impact and resulting geophysical changes prepared Earth for complex life. Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. 4 billion years ago Earth had a twin called...

We create a cloud in a bottle using warm water and smoke. Some warm water is placed in a plastic bottle and then some smoke is drawn in using a glowing splint. The bottle is sealed and then squeezed and released. The change in pressure...

A look at caves of all shapes and sizes: how do they form? And what creates the strange stalactite and stalagmite structures that can be found inside? Earth Science - Geology - Learning Points. Caves are natural underground holes carved...

How the orbit of the planets is dictated by mass and the force of gravity. Physics - Our Solar System - Learning Points. The curved path of one object around another is its orbit. Objects orbit due to the effects of gravity. The...

Glaciers are a destructive force, moving slowly across landscapes, reshaping them as they go. Earth Science - Geology - Learning Points. Over three-quarters of Earth's fresh water is locked in frozen reservoirs, known as glaciers....

A blizzard creates a blanket of snow. Look closer and the true beauty of individual snowflakes can be seen. How are different shapes of snowflakes formed and why are they always perfectly symmetrical? Chemistry - Atoms And Bonding -...

Where does our natural gas, coal and oil actually come from? Discover the processes that created our modern fossil-fuel reserves, which began millions of years ago. Earth Science - Earth's Resources - Learning Points. Fossil fuels are...

The process of magma coming to the surface, either in steady flows or violent eruptions, and cooling to form rocks. A Twig Science Glossary Film. Key scientific terms defined in just 60 seconds using stunning images and concise textual...

Allenes are compounds with a unique structure characterized by two adjacent double bonds (C=C=C). Despite having no traditional chiral centers, certain substituted allenes can exhibit chirality and optical activity due to their rigid,...

Hyperconjugation plays a significant role in stabilizing carbocations, where adjacent alkyl groups donate electron density via sigma bonds to the positively charged carbon, spreading the charge and increasing stability.

The +M effect refers to electron donation through resonance, as seen in phenol where the hydroxyl group donates electrons into the benzene ring. This increases electron density in the ring and impacts reactivity and acidity