The Brian Cox school experiments are designed to support primary teachers to carry out experimental science in the classroom, and relate it to real world experiences. Each written resource is accompanied by four videos; two with extra information on how to carry out the experiment and two on how the experiment relates to the real world. These create a flexible package for teachers, with something for everyone. Water is essential for life and the human body is around 60% water. We get most of our water from drinking it from taps or bottles and that water comes from reservoirs that are fed by rainfall, rivers and other sources. However there are many sources of water in nature that can be dangerous if we drink them, including the sea. Getting drinking water from these sources could prevent serious water shortages in some parts of the world. In this experiment, students are given a water mixture including stones, sand and salt and are asked to separate it to get pure water. They can sieve, filter and evaporate the water. Real world video: Brian Cox visits Mogden sewage plant to find out how sewage is cleaned before it returns to our rivers. Research science video: Danielle from King's College London explains how they use a form of separation called chromatography to ensure athlete's are not using banned substances.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. Professor Saiful Islam is a chemist who never wears a white lab coat. Rather than conduct experiments in laboratories, he uses the world’s most powerful computers to produce computer models of the inner, ‘atomic’ structure of materials used in ‘green’ energy applications, from the lithium ion rechargeable batteries in mobile phones, tablets and laptops, to futuristic solid oxide fuel cells. His work at the University of Bath aims to contribute to a less polluting, more sustainable future. He was brought up in London by parents who had emigrated from Bangladesh and often finds that he surprises people when he tells them that, in spite of his surname, he is a humanist.

The Brian Cox school experiments are designed to support teachers to carry out experimental science in the classroom, and relate it to real world experiences. Each written resource is accompanied by four videos; two with extra information on how to carry out the experiment and two on how the experiment relates to the real world. These create a flexible package for teachers, with something for everyone. In this experiment, students use shapes made on black sugar paper stuck on lolly pop sticks to investigate how the shadow size changes as they change the distance between light source and screen. The written resource was produced by the Ogden Trust. Real world video: Anna, a radiographer in Cambridge, shows how X-ray shadows can be used to see inside animals. Research science video: Brian Cox visits India to see the total solar eclipse.

Series 2 of the Brian Cox School Experiments are designed for students aged 11 to 14. They cover important topics and introduce teachers to a practical experiment, the commercial application of the technology featured, and the latest research being undertaken by scientists in that area. Each resource comprises three videos and a downloadable experiment that links directly to curriculum topics and is simple to carry out. Whether used in science classes, form rooms or careers sessions, these are an excellent resource to excite and engage young people with cutting-edge, real-world science. In this experiment Professor Brian Cox joins a teacher to demonstrate this paper-based experiment, as pupils develop their own rules/algorithms for sorting sweets and aliens and look at the effect that increasing the size of the data set has on the activity. The video resources enable students to virtually visit the Science Museum to hear about online content moderation using AI with Unitary, a company specialising in the use of machine learning systems to reduce the amount of online moderation done by humans. They can also virtually visit Cardiff University to meet Professor Pete Burnap, to learn more about cybersecurity and the research being undertaken into technologies used to make our public spaces safer.

Series 2 of the Brian Cox School Experiments are designed for students aged 11 to 14. They cover important topics and introduce teachers to a practical experiment, the commercial application of the technology featured, and the latest research being undertaken by scientists in that area. Each resource comprises three videos and a downloadable experiment that links directly to curriculum topics and is simple to carry out. Whether used in science classes, form rooms or careers sessions, these are an excellent resource to excite and engage young people with cutting-edge, real-world science. In this experiment Professor Brian Cox joins a teacher to find out how to set up and run an investigation into the effect of increasing CO2 in seawater and how increasing the acidity in seawater affects the strength of shells. The video resources enable students to virtually visit technology company C-Capture in Leeds, where next generation technology is being developed to capture CO2 from industrial sources such as cement, steel, and glass-making factories and power stations for future storage or reuse. They can also hear about Dr Helen Findlay at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, who is researching how changes in seawater conditions are affecting marine life.

Series 2 of the Brian Cox School Experiments are designed for students aged 11 to 14. They cover important topics and introduce teachers to a practical experiment, the commercial application of the technology featured, and the latest research being undertaken by scientists in that area. Each resource comprises three videos and a downloadable experiment that links directly to curriculum topics and is simple to carry out. Whether used in science classes, form rooms or careers sessions, these are an excellent resource to excite and engage young people with cutting-edge, real-world science. In this experiment Professor Brian Cox joins a teacher to find out how some plants have naturally adapted for survival with the ability to photosynthesise when light levels are low. The video resources enable students to hear about Dr Ingo Hein at the James Hutton Institute to learn about research being undertaken into naturally disease-resistant potato crops and the potential commercial applications of this science. They can also hear about Dr Philippa Borrill at the John Innes Centre, who leads a research group aiming to understand and improve the nutritional value of wheat grain.

The Brian Cox school experiments are designed to support teachers to carry out experimental science in the classroom, and relate it to real world experiences. Each written resource is accompanied by four videos; two with extra information on how to carry out the experiment and two on how the experiment relates to the real world. These create a flexible package for teachers, with something for everyone. In this experiment, students build instruments out of every day equipment, including elastic bands and pots, twanging rulers and beans in pots. They change the length and width of elastic bands and the length of the ruler to see what difference that makes to the sounds. The written resource was produced by the Ogden Trust. Real world video: Brian Cox visits a composer to find out how pitch and volume can affect our emotions. Research science video: Bruce, an acoustic researcher, has developed a device that can levitate small objects using sound.

The Brian Cox school experiments are designed to support teachers to carry out experimental science in the classroom, and relate it to real world experiences. Each written resource is accompanied by four videos; two with extra information on how to carry out the experiment and two on how the experiment relates to the real world. These create a flexible package for teachers, with something for everyone. In this experiment, students investigate the melting points of different types of chocolate by heating them in a water bath. Real world video: Brian Cox visits the Thorntons factory to learn about the different melting temperatures of chocolate. Research science video: Cathie Rae at University of Cambridge works with Rolls Royce to develop new materials with different melting temperatures for jet engines.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. Mah Hussain-Gambles is a biker, a rock music fan and a pharmacologist. Her childhood began in Pakistan and ended in Hull, where she was the only pupil with Asian heritage at her comprehensive school. Following a degree in pharmacology, success as a scientist in industry and as social scientist in academia, she decided to use her scientific expertise to set up an ethical skincare company - Saaf Pure Skincare - using her own garage as the warehouse, her kitchen as the formulation department, and her phone and email as the customer relations department. She developed the company alongside bringing up her children; the company now sells products worldwide. Mah relates her interest in science to a childhood love of exploration, Star Trek, a tendency not to follow the crowd and a natural curiosity - or ‘nosiness’.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. Jo Shien Ng works to develop more and more sensitive electrical components called ‘avalanche photodiodes’ used in everything from satellites that look at the Earth from space, to body scanners in hospitals and airports. She does this by applying an understanding of the behaviour of materials developed through secondary and further education at a Chinese school in Malaysia, and a degree and PhD at the University of Sheffield, UK. She explains that she is not intimidated by being often the only female scientist in technical meetings - her expertise is clear “What I say goes”. This is Jo Shien Ng’s story.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. You may have seen Maggie Aderin-Pocock presenting BBC’s The Sky at Night, asking Jeremy Paxman to hold a torch while she described a lunar eclipse, or on the sofa of a breakfast television show or The One Show talking enthusiastically about science. You may not know that she has hung out of the back of military aircraft photographing the vapour trails of missiles to improve fighter aircraft ‘countermeasures’, that she has improved metal detectors used to find unexploded mines, or that she has led projects to make instruments placed on telescopes or satellites to inspect the Earth and the Universe. You may also not know that she was born in London to parents who emigrated from Nigeria in the 1950s, that she was inspired by Einstein, the Clangers and Star Trek, and that she has, at times, struggled with reading and writing due to dyslexia. This is Maggie’s story.

The Brian Cox school experiments are designed to support teachers to carry out experimental science in the classroom, and relate it to real world experiences. Each written resource is accompanied by four videos; two with extra information on how to carry out the experiment and two on how the experiment relates to the real world. These create a flexible package for teachers, with something for everyone. In this experiment, students try to germinate and grow plants from a seed using a variety of different materials instead of soil. The supporting The written resource comes from Science and Plants for Schools, and this and many other resources are freely available at www.saps.org.uk Real world video: Brian Cox visits an urban farm to find out how they grow salad with fish poo. Research science video: Jennifer at Rothamstead research studies the soil to find out what makes it healthy and better able to grow plants.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. Jassel Majevadia is currently completing a PhD which will contribute to the safety of nuclear energy. Working on her Mac in coffee shops at Imperial College, she is able to apply her knowledge of mathematics and physics to perform new calculations and improve understanding of the way in which tiny bits of materials interact with each other under different conditions. Born in London to parents whose own parents had emigrated from Indian communities in Kenya in the 1960s, she feels that she has succeeded by combining a keen interest in Indian culture and religion, with a determination to develop as an individual in places away from home (so far, Scotland and the US, where she studied for a year). Outside of work in science she loves listening to and playing jazz music, and also lifts weights at the gym. This is Jassel’s story.

The Brian Cox school experiments are designed to support teachers to carry out experimental science in the classroom, and relate it to real world experiences. Each written resource is accompanied by four videos; two with extra information on how to carry out the experiment and two on how the experiment relates to the real world. These create a flexible package for teachers, with something for everyone. In this experiment, students take their heart rates before and after doing exercise and see what difference it makes. They look at the variation across the class before and after, as well as how long it takes their heart rate to return to normal. Real world video: Brian Cox visits the English Institute of Sport to find out why athletes look at their heart rate when they train. Research science video: Dr Dan Martin at UCL investigates how heart rate changes at high altitude to help patients in intensive care.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. You may have seen Maggie Aderin-Pocock presenting BBC’s The Sky at Night, asking Jeremy Paxman to hold a torch while she described a lunar eclipse, or on the sofa of a breakfast television show or The One Show talking enthusiastically about science. You may not know that she has hung out of the back of military aircraft photographing the vapour trails of missiles to improve fighter aircraft ‘countermeasures’, that she has improved metal detectors used to find unexploded mines, or that she has led projects to make instruments placed on telescopes or satellites to inspect the Earth and the Universe. You may also not know that she was born in London to parents who emigrated from Nigeria in the 1950s, that she was inspired by Einstein, the Clangers and Star Trek, and that she has, at times, struggled with reading and writing due to dyslexia. This is Maggie’s story.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. Mark Richards is a scientist and a DJ (DJ Kemist). He was born in Nottingham in 1970 to parents who had emigrated from Jamaica and remembers successfully ‘battling with the boffins’ at his comprehensive school, often coming top in chemistry. Following a degree in chemistry, he has worked (getting a PhD along the way) on the development of instruments to detect very small amounts of particular chemicals in the air. He now splits his time between teaching physics to university students at Imperial College London, DJing and remixing music released under his own label - Xtremix Records, and developing air pollution monitoring instruments sold by a high-tech company that he co-founded.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. If you travel from the UK to France via the channel tunnel, your carriage is riding on rails made of a particular kind of steel that Harry Bhadeshia invented. He has also developed the world’s strongest armour - called ‘Super Bainite’ - in part through the discovery of a steel that seemed to sing. He has done all of this and more by applying physics and mathematics to predict what shapes will be made by crystals in metal, under certain conditions and with certain elements added or taken away. He arrived in London in 1970 after his Indian parents were forced to leave their home in Kenya by political changes. As young teenager he has worked his way up from technician, through part-time study, to become the University of Cambridge’s Tata Steel Professor of Metallurgy.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. Professor Saiful Islam is a chemist who never wears a white lab coat. Rather than conduct experiments in laboratories, he uses the world’s most powerful computers to produce computer models of the inner, ‘atomic’ structure of materials used in ‘green’ energy applications, from the lithium ion rechargeable batteries in mobile phones, tablets and laptops, to futuristic solid oxide fuel cells. His work at the University of Bath aims to contribute to a less polluting, more sustainable future. He was brought up in London by parents who had emigrated from Bangladesh and often finds that he surprises people when he tells them that, in spite of his surname, he is a humanist. This is Saiful’s story.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. Jo Shien Ng works to develop more and more sensitive electrical components called ‘avalanche photodiodes’ used in everything from satellites that look at the Earth from space, to body scanners in hospitals and airports. She does this by applying an understanding of the behaviour of materials developed through secondary and further education at a Chinese school in Malaysia, and a degree and PhD at the University of Sheffield, UK. She explains that she is not intimidated by being often the only female scientist in technical meetings - her expertise is clear: “What I say goes”. This is Jo Shien Ng’s story.

How do you encourage those students who really do like science but cannot see themselves in a science-based career? Many students struggle to think of more than a handful of scientific careers so this new animation from the Royal Society, aimed at students aged 11 to 16, aims to demonstrate the wealth of scientific subjects that can be accessed beyond school and the excitement that a career in science can bring. By having a positive impact on the challenges that face our society, a career in science can bring job satisfaction and opportunities for travel and global collaboration. Of course, we are talking about science in the wider sense, so the animation lists mathematics and computing as ‘core’ science subjects studied in school alongside chemistry, biology and physics. The animation aims to demonstrate that it is not just the facts that students learn in lessons that are important for future scientists, but also those other skills that students develop in investigative work both in lessons and in extracurricular opportunities.

Inspiring Scientists is a series of resources to help develop students’ understanding and awareness of science and the diversity of scientists. The video profiles were commissioned by the Royal Society and carried out as an oral history project by National Life Stories at the British Library. The resources showcase the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage and cover issues such as being a minority in science, influences in their childhoods and the fun and importance of science both to themselves and to the wider community. The activities that accompany the profiles relate to the area of research that the scientist is involved in. Born in London to parents who emigrated from Ghana, Charlotte Armah’s scientific work may have very obvious benefits for us all. She leads experiments involving human volunteers to learn whether eating particular foods - especially broccoli - can protect us from diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. This work allows her to combine scientific expertise (developed through comprehensive school, a degree and PhD), a keen interest in helping others (encouraged by voluntary work and her Christian faith) and an enjoyment of meeting and interacting with different people. She has been very successful in science - presenting her work all over the world - without feeling that science has ever been an obsession. Rather than playing with chemistry sets as a child, she preferred to sing along to the Radio 1 pop music charts.