English

Conspiracies are at the heart of many a good film and book. Swedish biology teacher Per Kornhall is the author of a critical book on intelligent design and how it is taught in biology lessons in religious schools in Sweden. He talks to Sai Pathmanathan and Marlene Rau about his fascination with modern science and his views on teaching the diversity of life.

Originally, Nadia Salem wanted to become a research biologist and find a cure for cancer. Today, she is a reporter for Nano, a daily science magazine on German-language TV. Nadia talked to Marlene Rau about the unpredictability of life and the joys of being a science journalist.

How do astronauts eat, sleep and wash? Can you get ‘seasick’ in space? In the second of two articles about the ISS, Shamim Hartevelt-Velani, Carl Walker and Benny Elmann-Larsen from the European Space Agency investigate.

Matthias Mallmann from NanoBioNet eV explains what nanotechnology really is, and offers two nano-experiments for the classroom.

Wayne A Mitchell, Debonair Sherman, Andrea Choppy and Rachel L Gomes from the Next Generation project describe some of their science activities to introduce primary-school children to the science all around us.

Sue Johnson from the Institute of Education, London University, UK, introduces the Plant Scientists Investigate project, and presents three plant-related activities for primary-school children. Compare the carbon dioxide concentrations of inhaled and exhaled air, visualise your own oxygen consumption or weigh up the importance of plant conservation versus economic development.

Dean Madden from the National Centre for Biotechnology Education (NCBE), University of Reading, UK, suggests an experiment to make lactose-free milk – useful both for cats and for the 75% of the world’s human population that are intolerant to this type of sugar.

Dudley Shallcross and Tim Harrison from Bristol University, UK, illustrate chemistry experiments relevant to climate change.