Biology in the news
This week a bold and exciting decision was made by the House of Commons to allow so-called three parent babies. The aim of this technology is to eliminate a rare but chronic group of disorders known as mitochondrial disease. While critics believe the news raises significant ethical and moral dilemmas, and that it is an example of doctors playing God, supporters welcome the progressive news. Look at this interactive guide to the technique to find out more. |
Exciting news: Antibiotics chosen as the focus for the Longitude Prize 2014. Bring it on MRSA!
‘Science is nothing but trained and organised common sense’ Thomas Huxley
THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WORLD OF SCIENCE...
Apparently, if you stretched out all of the DNA from your cells then it would reach the sun and back...4 times! How is this possible? Find out here |
Geek of the week!
Possibly better known for being an artist than a scientist, Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest minds of the Italian Renaissance (15th Century). He wrote and drew on subjects such as physics, geology and anatomy, and he was a great inventor. Unlike his contemporaries, da Vinci wanted to know how the human body worked rather than just being able to accurately represent it through drawing and painting. da Vinci used human cadavers (dead bodies) for his dissection but when these weren't available, he worked on oxen. Sadly, da Vinci died before he could publish his anatomical discoveries and the significance of his work was lost to the world for about 400 years! He was truly ahead of his time. Find out more about this all-round genius by clicking the links below. |
TOP TIPS FOR BECOMING AN INDEPENDENT LEARNER
Being an independent learner means that you are able to lead your own learning. I'll tell you the best ways to do this - it's easy once you know how. It's a skill that you will need when you do your A-levels, when you study at university, and indeed throughout the rest of your life! |
The internet - a fantastic source of knowledge. You can probably find out just about anything you want by using the internet. However, use it with caution. As fabulous as the Web is, it is also full of rubbish, misleading and downright incorrect info. USE YOUR BRAINS when deciding whether the information you have sourced is valid or not. It goes without saying that you should only use reliable websites. And for heaven's sake, don't copy and paste! Not only is plagiarism cheating, it can also get you into serious trouble.
|
It does of course go without saying that all of these ways of learning don't just apply to your science studies. Use them for all of your subjects
Anybody who is interested in science and is thinking of taking science A-levels, maybe with the aim of becoming a doctor, scientist, dentist, etc, needs an understanding of the natural world. I strongly recommend you spend a bit of time during the year getting out and about and looking at the world around you. Here are some ideas of places that you could visit if you are interested in science and nature:
Rickmansworth Aquadrome
Ashridge Estate RSPB Sandy, Bedfordshire Whippendell Woods Your own back garden! |