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DO TRY THIS AT HOME!
We've rounded up a set of experiments
and demos you can use at home, school or in your local youth club.
They're tried 'n tested - and are guaranteed to keep you busy for hours.
AND CHECK OUT SCIENCE AS A CAREER...
Each activity is linked to a real-life case study
featuring a professional scientist. We got them to spill the beans on what their working lives are like - and what the real perks are!.
A
printed version of this activity pack has been sent out to all youth associations in England to be distributed to their affiliated youth clubs. SciZmic science clubs and CILIP Frontiers: Science in Libraries in England clubs have also all received free packs.
But you can download and print off everything right here...
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SO WHAT'S SO GOOD ABOUT A LIFE IN SCIENCE?
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Forget those lone scientists you see in the movies - in real life, science is an extremely sociable subject. People usually work in teams and there are loads of opportunities to meet people who enjoy the same things as you - interesting work and top quality time off!
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Case Study:
Meet TOYIN SOLANKE, a geologist who loves her job and the lifestyle that goes with it.
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Activity: ICE-CREAM SUNDAE OIL MODEL |
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Find out more about what goes on beneath the Earth's crust without leaving your kitchen. Plenty of delicious ingredients, and you can eat the whole thing when you've finished the demo.
Heh heh - geology rocks alright!
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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A career in science offers plenty of opportunties to make a real difference to the world. You could carry out work that improves the environment, put your skills to use in medical research, or invent a revolutionary new form of technology. Opportunties exist in every area...
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Case Study:
Meet LIZ SOCKETT, a genetics researcher who studies bacteria and how they swim after, chase and eat other bacteria. It sounds like fun - but it could also pave the way to new cures for illness.
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Activity: MAKE A GENETIC CODE FRIENDSHIP BRACELET |
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Use four colours of beads to spell out whatever you want in genetic code...
Click here to view the genetic code table |
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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Winning Pop Idol or writing a bestselling book are two ways achieve celebrity status, but how much more satisfying would it be to win a Nobel Prize? You'd be in the history books forever...
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Case Study:
Meet MARTIN WESTWELL who runs a drugs research company that's looking for cures for
debilitating illnesses like Altzheimer's.
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Activity: HOW YOUR BRAIN SEES THE WORLD |
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These two easy experiments fool your brain into revealing something of what's going on inside that head of yours...
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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Science is the place to be if you enjoy making new discoveries. You can be the very first person to explore situations and events, whether they're taking place down a microscope, out in the field, or light years away in outer space...
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Case Study:
Meet CATHERINE HEYMANS, an astrophysicist whose work takes her around the world - and to the edges of the cosmos!
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Activity: SUNNY DAYS |
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Strange as it may seem, it only takes some simple bits and pieces and a little bit of maths to calculate the diameter of the Sun... (You do need a sunny day though!)
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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There are some amazing jobs out there - and some with particularly awesome titles such as 'ecophysiologist' or 'laser physicist' - plus you can get to have some enviable adventures...
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Case Study:
Meet JOHN TURNER, a test pilot with BAE Systems, who designs and trials new aircraft... and loves the fact he gets to fly for a living!
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Activity: MAKE A PAPER HELICOPTER |
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Try a spot of paper engineering and learn about the science of flight - and find out more about how real helicopters defy gravity.
Click here to view an example of paper engineering.
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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OK the money situation isn't great, but being a postgraduate student can be just the thing for people who want to learn and carry out research for a living. And by night, you get a bumper social life with people from all around the world
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Case Study:
Meet STEPHANIE ANKRAH, she has many footie-fans' dream job: she's a sports materials engineer doing a PhD about football shinguards.
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Activity: EGG-TASTIC! |
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Have a go at doing some materials science research for yourself with this household challenge... It could get messy - but that's all part of the process! |
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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A career in science can give you the freedom to work outside the traditional 9-5 daily grind. (You still have to do the work sometime of course though!)
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Case Study:
Meet SUWAN JAYASINGHE, a research scientist whose specialist field is aerosols, and investigating the way in which droplets behave in the air.
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Activity: STATIC PAPER FUN |
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Simulate the way in which paint is applied to cars on the assembly line - without a drop of paint going anywhere...
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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Ever wanted to go to the Antarctic? What about an annual trip to Hawaii or Chilie? Either you need to win the lottery or get into science...
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Case Study:
Meet CHRISTINE PEQUIGNET an oceanographer who studies the carbon cycle... and lives and works on the beautiful island of Bermuda.
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Activity: INVESTIGATING OCEAN CURRENTS |
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It may not be quite as exciting as working as a researcher in Bermuda - but this demo neatly shows the effect of temperature on water currents wherever you are...
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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At the moment there are 20x more men than women working in science. What's that all about?! More women are needed to balance things up - and there are plenty of great jobs available.
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Case Study:
Meet CATHY DAY, an engineer who works for Bentley Motors, testing car motors and emissions.
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Activity: A CAR RUN ON AIR |
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Build a balloon-powered rocket car that will zoom across the floor, no petrol needed. It's the ultimate environmentally-friendly vehicle (and they're great for racing against each other too).
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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Studying science opens more doors than any other subject, and the skills you'll pick up are extremely marketable...
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Case Study:
Meet EMMA McLEOD, a chocolate-lover who's got herself a very tasty job as a Process Development Engineer at Cadbury Trebor Bassett
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Activity: MAKE YOUR OWN SWEETS |
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Yes, it really is a scientific demonstration: marshmallow crispies allow you to explore how
gelatine (a protein) behaves when it's heated
or cooled. |
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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Here are five more inspirational scientists – and home activities that link to what they do.
Bringing Science to Life
Science can be rather dull or absolutely fascinating - just like every other subject. It all depends on how it's presented!
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Case Study:
Find out about Alex Brabbs, whose job is all about making science interesting for the public… |
Activity:
Make a DNA model – and then eat it (mmmm!) Science doesn’t get much more delicious than this.
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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Sounds like fun!
Whatever you're listening to right now, those sounds got into your ears through the wonderful science of soundwaves!
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Case Study:
Paula Mathews, works for the BBC as a professional broadcast technologist. Find out how she got there and what she does… |
Activity:
Learn a bit more about how sound travels, using a simple wire coathanger and a couple of bits of string…
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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Health and Beauty
It’s not easy, being gorgeous all the time. A lot of science goes into the creation of cosmetics and beauty products to keep us all lookin’ good…
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Case Study:
Hands up who’d like Lloyd Hamilton's, job? He works for Boots, and is employed to develop cosmetics, skin and healthcare products. |
Activity:
Make your own bath bomb… then relax in the lap of luxury (or give them to your favourite relations for a special treat!)
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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Getting the Wind Up
Wind makes the world go round… Well, not literally, but it certainly fascinates a lot of scientists – and it could be a major source of eco-friendly energy in the future.
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Case Study:
Julia Rhodes, is a professional wind farm manager, and there’s nothing she doesn’t know about harvesting this natural resource… |
Activity:
Find out how to measure wind speed, with some very lo-tech equipment..
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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Are you sitting comfortably?
Making sure that buildings are the right temperature inside isn't just a case of switching the radiators on and off. There's a lot of skill and nifty thinking involved...
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Case Study:
Meet one of the professionals who does this kind of thing for a living (you may well have been inside one of her buildings yourself!) She's an award-winning building services engineer called Sara McGowan. |
Activity:
Try for yourself - construct a mini-building and see how good you are at controlling the temperature inside...
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Case Study
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Activity
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PDF approx 200k
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PDF approx 200k
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