Articles tagged as "Nutrient cycles"

Interviews with scientists - Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for human health. But how can we source them sustainably? Professor Johnathan Napier of Rothamstead Research talks about the role that Omega-3 fatty acids play in our diets, how we currently source them from algae via fish, and how he hopes to use genetic engineering to breed plants that produce these molecules in their oils.

Interviews with scientists - feeding sub-Saharan Africa

This 5-minute video interview with Professor Giles Oldroyd offers a thought-provoking take on the topic of fertilisers and nitrogen fixation. In the west, we’ve spent 50 years relying on increasing food yields by adding nitrogen-based fertilisers to the soils. But it’s not an approach that seems to be working for the millions of smallholder farmers across western and central Africa.

Using Broad Beans in the Lab

Broad beans are quick and reliable to germinate in the lab, and an excellent example for topics including nutrient cycles, nitrogen fixation and mutualism.

Using Green Algae in the Lab

These algae make a great resource for demonstrating photosynthesis, particularly with the 'algal balls' activity.

Using Mung Beans in the Lab

Mung beans are cheap, reliable and easy to germinate, and offer a useful way to look at topics including plant growth, cells, plant nutrition and hydroponics.

Using Duckweed in the Lab

Duckweed make excellent subjects for students to use to develop investigations.

Video demo - Investigations with Venus' Fly Traps

In this activity, perfect for STEM science clubs, students investigate what causes a Venus' Fly Trap to shut its trap. These experiments are related to a series of investigations that Darwin carried out as part of his work on evolution and adaptation. A great activity for science clubs.