Using news stories about recent earthquakes adds a social aspect when discussing the structure of the Earth. In this article we discuss the recent earthquake that struck Nepal with devastating consequences. Earthquake in Nepal On the 25th April 2015 an earthquake hit the country of Nepal which lies north of India. You will probably have…
Oops! When science goes wrong: Electric Humans
Good old static electricity eh? Great for making balloons stick to walls, causing peoples’ hair to stand on end and for sudden, random, comedy electric shocks as you are walking around. It’s such a laugh… But this isn’t always the case, particularly if it happens to you all the time and you may be suffering…
Oops! When science goes wrong: Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
If you are unfortunate to develop a severe bout of food poisoning, a trip to the doctors is usually on the cards. They may, after a few tests (or even before if it’s urgent), prescribe you with an antibiotic. Antibiotics are drugs that are used to treat bacterial infections. They have long been considered a…
Oops! When science goes wrong – Crime scene contamination
Before a forensic scientist can study the evidence found at a crime scene it first needs to be collected. This is done by a Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO). It is vitally important to protect scenes from unintentional contamination of evidence in order to ensure that the evidence is reliable. This extends into other areas…
Oops! When science goes wrong – Gravity and the human body
The human race evolved on a planet with a gravitational field strength of approximately 10 N/kg. Our whole physiology and bodily structure are finely adapted to the gravity of this planet. As soon as humans are displaced into another environment where they experience different gravitational forces, whether it is orbiting the Earth or travelling to…
OOPS! WHEN SCIENCE GOES WRONG – FUEL TANK DISASTER
Corrosion is the destruction of a material by a reaction with a substance in its environment. A common type of corrosion is the reaction between a metal and oxygen from the air to form an oxide – an oxidation reaction. When iron reacts with oxygen and water, hydrated iron oxide or rust is formed. The…
Oops! When science goes wrong – Power cuts
Powerless – how society collapses when the electricity goes off! It is a sobering thought to consider the type of life we would have without electricity. It is something that we take utterly for granted; it is always there, at the flick of a switch, instantly powering our modern lives. As of 2010 there were…
Oops! When science goes wrong – Stay Cool! Overheating Astronauts
Stay cool! Overheating astronauts Despite what we see in popular science fiction movies, the human body, when exposed to a vacuum, does not pop like a balloon resulting in an instant, gory death. Nor does your blood suddenly boil or do you get frozen solid instantly. Yes, your skin will swell up to about twice…
Oops! When science goes wrong – what happens during an asthma attack
Asthma is a condition which affects the airways, the network of tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs. During an asthma attack a person finds it difficult to breathe. Use this article to outline to your KS3 students what happens during an asthma attack. What is an asthma attack? When you breathe in, air…