How many schools Spring 2015 Issue 31 and teachers do you reach – worldwide? In this issue: The challenging logistics of lunar exploration Also:

Taking teaching home

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Published by EIROforum: ISSN: 1818-0353

Subscribe (free in Europe): www.scienceinschool.org Published and funded by EIROforum Editorial About Science in School The European journal for science teachers Science in School is the only teaching journal to cover all sciences and target the whole of Eu- st rope and beyond. Contents include cutting-edge Welcome to the 31 issue science, teaching materials and much more. Brought to you by Europe’s top scientific research institutes of Science in School Science in School is published and funded by EIROforum (www.eiroforum.org), a partnership between eight of Europe’s largest intergovern- mental scientific research organisations. ow the delighted mother of healthy twin boys, Inspiring science teachers worldwide I’m also happy to be back at Science in School, N The Science in School website offers articles working with Laura and Isabelle to continue their good in 30+ languages and is read worldwide. The work on the new design of our journal. free quarterly journal is printed in English and distributed across Europe. What is the purpose of Science in School? For the past nine years, we have aimed to inform, inspire and sup- Advertising: tailored to your needs port science teachers in Europe and beyond – and our Choose between advertising in our print ­journal, new website reflects just that. As you’ll see, we’ve reorganised the articles or on our website. For maximum impact, reach our entire readership with an advertorial (online into three main categories: understand (science topics or research), inspire and in print). Online and in print, we have a (scientist or teacher profiles, event reports, reviews of resources, and much total of over 150 000 readers per quarter. more) and teach (activities and projects for your lessons). · The majority of our readers are secondary- Using the drop-down menus, you can browse all the articles in these school science teachers. · Our readership also includes many primary- categories or refine your search further, for example by age group or using school teachers, teacher trainers, head teachers­ search terms. Do you need some recent research for your biology students? and others involved in science education. Two mouse clicks give you a wealth of articles to choose from. Are you · The journal reaches significant numbers of key looking for a teaching idea for your physics lesson? Again, you are just two decision-makers: at the European ­Commission, the European Parliament and in European clicks away. Do you think a particular article looks interesting but you’d national ministries. prefer to read it in Spanish? (or Polish, or Greek, or German, or French, For more information, see or….) Just choose the appropriate flag on the article page. www.scienceinschool.org/advertising or contact­ [email protected] We’re still working on the website, so you should notice it getting better and better over the next few months. In particular, we’ve initially con- Subscribing centrated on the English articles; the formatting of the translated articles Register free online to: will be improved as soon as possible. If you notice any problems with the · Subscribe to the e-newsletter website or have any comments or suggestions, do let us know. · Request a free print subscription (limited availability) You may notice that this print issue looks a little different to previous ones. · Post your comments. This is just the beginning: we’re also working on a completely new design of the print journal. So if you have any suggestions for improvement, now How can I get involved? Science in School relies on the involvement of is the time to tell us! teachers, scientists and other experts in science And as if that weren’t enough, Science in School now tweets regularly education. · Submit articles or reviews about science, teaching and everything in between. Why not follow us on · Join the reviewer panel Twitter? www.twitter.com/sciinschool · Translate articles for publication online For now, we hope you enjoy the articles in this issue. · Tell your colleagues about Science in School · Make a donation to support the journal. See www.scienceinschool.org or contact us. Eleanor Hayes Contact us Editor-in-chief of Science in School Science in School [email protected] European Molecular Biology Laboratory www.scienceinschool.org Meyerhofstrasse 1 69117 Heidelberg Germany [email protected]

i I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Contents

Image courtesy of epSos.de i Editorial

Understand 2 News from the EIROs: Making new connections and learning in new ways 6 Greening chemistry 6 11 Fighting HIV with neutrons 14 The perfect meal Image courtesy of David Leggett/Wikimedia Commons 18 The challenging logistics of lunar exploration

Inspire 23 Review: Aspirin screen experiment 24 Teacher profile: Taking teaching home 28 Spotlight on education: Climbing up the PISA ladder 14 Teach Image courtesy of NASA/Dennis M. Davidson 32 An artistic introduction to anthocyanin inks 37 Starlight inside a light bulb 43 Coding without computers 46 Cell spotting – let’s fight cancer together!

18

Image courtesy of Janine/Wikimedia Commons

32

Image courtesy of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

46 www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 1 Making new connections and learning in new ways

Science in School is published by EIROforum, a Castaldi Image courtesy of EMBL/Laura collaboration between eight of Europe’s largest inter- governmental scientific research organisations (EIROs). This article reviews some of the latest news from EIROs.

CERN Opening up the Higgs Hunt EMBL The hunt for the Higgs boson occupied many many physi- Delighting in detail cists at CERN, but now anyone can help analyse real data and perhaps find a new molecule. Higgs Hunters is a new This riot of colour is a visualisation of touch, or rather the website that shows you images from the ATLAS experiment skin nerves that relay that information. Neurons that detect in the hope you might spot something new that the scien- gentle touch are shown in green, while red and blue repre- tists and their computers missed. sent two types of nerve cell involved in sensing pain. The The images on Higgs Hunters are snapshots of newborn image was obtained by Paul Heppenstall’s lab at EMBL particles flying at close to the speed of light through the Monterotondo, Italy, using a technique not previously used huge underground ATLAS detector. Higgs particles rapidly in live animals. “Already we’ve been able to see things that decay and it’s hoped that the decay products might include we couldn’t see before,” says Paul. new, unknown particles. Skin seems designed to thwart fluorescence microscopy – “Discovering what happens when a Higgs boson ‘dies’ not only is it a barrier, often preventing dyes from penetrat- could be even more exciting than the original discovery that ing, but it also glows green under blue light. That means the Higgs boson exists made at CERN back in 2012,” says it’s hard to distinguish between the skin and fluorescent Alan Barr, lead scientist of the Higgs Hunters project. proteins, which are commonly used to label tissue. For further information or to get hunting, visit: To get around the problem, Paul’s lab genetically engi- www.higgshunters.org neered mice so their cells would produce a protein that Don’t forget that the CERN education website hosts many more binds to a specific chemical structure. The team then activities that you can use with your students. See: injected the mice with fluorescent probes that contained that http://education.web.cern.ch/education/ structure. The protein binds to it and glues the probes in Based in Geneva, Switzerland, CERN is the world’s largest particle place, allowing the scientists to pinpoint the cells under the physics laboratory. To learn more, see: www.cern.ch microscope. For a list of CERN-related articles in Science in School, see: www.scienceinschool.org/cern Read more about this story on the EMBL news portal: http://news. embl.de/science/1412_snaptag Read the original research article in Nature Methods: Yang G et al. (2014) Genetic targeting of chemical indicators in vivo. Image from the Nature Methods [published online 8 December]. doi: 10.1038/ Higgs Hunters nmeth.3207 database EMBL is Europe’s leading laboratory for basic research in molecular biology, with its headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany. To learn more, see: www.embl.org For a list of EMBL-related articles in Science in School, see: www. scienceinschool.org/embl Image courtesy of Higgs Hunters

2 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Biology Chemistry Physics EUROfusion of courtesy Image 3 I

------nderstand U Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I Science in School Science in School scienceinschool.org/EUROfusion ficiently – a measure which became necessary to meet the ficiently – a measure projects complex and large-scale challenge of increasingly for such a joint such as ITER and DEMO. The preparation started in 2012. fusion programme Consortium for the Development of Fusion The European of 28 Eu (EUROfusion) comprises representations Energy member states as well as Switzerland and manages ropean than activities on behalf of Euratom. More fusion research fusion laboratories collectively use the Joint 40 European the world’s larg (JET), which has remained Torus European in 1983. Smaller est magnetic fusion device since it was built and the Switzerland, national experiments in Germany, United Kingdom complement the experimental programme. fusion electricity by 2050. The aim is to realise see: www.euro-fusion.org learn more To For a list of EUROfusion articles in Science in School, see: www. EUROfusion Commission European The EUROfusion launches the European of preparation, After almost two years Consortium launched the European Commission officially in au (EUROfusion) of Fusion Energy for the Development fusion European EUROfusion manages the tumn last year. the activities on behalf of Euratom, which awards research grant to the consortium. The new consortium appropriate Fusion European substitutes the fourteen year-old agreement As as 29 bilateral (EFDA), as well Agreement Development between the Commission and sociation agreements member states plus Switzerland. The forma 28 European for Europe’s tion of EUROfusion marks a big step forward energy quest to develop fusion power as a climate-friendly global energy that will contribute to meet a growing source Europe’s demand. The EUROfusion Consortium enables ef even more national laboratories to pool their resources

A computer-generated A computer-generated ­visualisation of EUROfusion’s flagship experiment JET Image courtesy of ESA/Rosetta/NAVCAM ESA/Rosetta/NAVCAM of courtesy Image - scienceinschool.org/esa France. For more information, see: www.esa.int France. For more with Rosetta website. See: www.esa.int/Education/Teach_with_ Rosetta Comet 67P, the Comet 67P, target of the Rosetta mission. , see: www. articles in Science in School For a list of ESA-related ESA is Europe’s gateway to space, with its headquarters in Paris, gateway to is Europe’s ESA Don’t miss the chance to teach with ESA and Rosetta at the Teach and Rosetta at the Teach Don’t miss the chance to teach with ESA ricular subjects from physics, chemistry, maths, biology and physics, chemistry, ricular subjects from art and design. to comprehension, astronomy education with time, hosting new ESA The site will grow and links to Rosetta news as they become available resources until its end in 2015. during the course of the Rosetta mission, Teach with Rosetta Teach the Rosetta spacecraft’s Philae On 12 November 2014, on the surface of comet 67P/ lander touched down landing in : the most spectacular Churyumov–Gerasimenko Build on the extraordinary the history of space exploration. the Rosetta mission to by represented of inspiration source to science and technology. attract your students materials with Rosetta website contains teaching The Teach The lessons for both primary- and secondary-school levels. for teaching cur use space, Rosetta and comets as a context ESA

www.scienceinschool.org Image courtesy of EMBL/Laura Castaldi EMBL/Laura of courtesy Image Workers walk past the first section of the European XFEL linear accelerator, which has been nearly completely assembled in the tunnel.

SY DE ESO of y es rt u o Connect with ESO in your c

e g a m language I

Friends of ESO can now connect with the organisation on social media platforms available in their native language. Together with volunteers, ESO has started making ESO’s latest news available in several languages on Facebook and Twitter. The news items from ESO are already translated into more than 18 languages thanks to the ESO science outreach net- work. The network has also translated important parts of ESO’s website, as well as the ESO News weekly newsletter. Now, with the help of volunteers, the aim is to offer as many people as possible the chance to read ESO’s astronomical European XFEL news on social media across language barriers. View a list of ESO’s social media accounts at www.eso.org/ Accelerator installation public/outreach/social ­underway Those who wish to contribute translations for ESO local social media accounts which are still missing translations are invited to To generate the world’s most intense X-ray flashes, Euro- submit the form at: www.eso.org/public/outreach/partnerships/ pean XFEL needs very high-energy electrons travelling at translators nearly the speed of light. To obtain flashes with laser-like ESO is the world’s most productive ground-based astronomical quality, a linear particle accelerator is needed – in European observatory, with its headquarters in Garching near Munich, XFEL’s case, a superconducting one that is nearly two kilo- Germany, and its telescopes in Chile. ESO is a major partner in the metres in length. revolutionary astronomical telescope ALMA and is building the This past summer, the German research centre DESY, which Image: Image courtesy of ESO 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT. For more information, see: www.eso.org is European XFEL’s largest shareholder, began installing the For a list of ESO-related articles in Science in School, see: first of 100 accelerator modules in the European XFEL ac- www.scienceinschool.org/eso celerator tunnel beneath western Hamburg. Each module is twelve metres long and weighs ten tonnes. The accelerator feeds large electromagnetic pulses into specially designed metal tubes called cavities. The electro- magnetic pulses, combined with the shape of the cavities, create conditions that cause the electrons to move faster and faster. There will be 800 of these cavities in the European XFEL linear accelerator, eight in every module. Each cavity will be immersed in liquid helium to keep it at the necessary temperatures. The European X-ray Free Electron Laser (European XFEL) is a research facility currently under construction in the Hamburg area in Germany. Its extremely intense X-ray flashes will be used by researchers from all over the world. To learn more, see: www.xfel. eu For a list of European XFEL-related articles in Science in School, see: www.scienceinschool.org/xfel

EIROforum combines the resources, facilities and expertise of its member organisations to sup- port European science in reaching its full potential. To learn more, see: www.eiroforum.org For a list of EIROforum-related articles in Science in School, see: www.scienceinschool.org/ eiroforum To browse the other EIRO news articles, see: www.scienceinschool.org/eironews

4 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Understand Biology

team comprised a game designer, ILL and ESRF an illustrator, a programmer and a scientist. Exploring new ways to reach Most of the participants were university students but some of them were secondary school children. younger generations They had from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon to develop their idea of a game and present a first draft.

In our digital world, science, education and communication are Among the ten games presented at the end of the game Chemistry evolving at great speed. Connected devices, collaborative and jam, four were selected by a jury and their creators have free-content websites, social networks, gamification, fab labs been invited to participate in iGam4er (igam4er.org), an and living labs become new ways for scientists to engage with international competition of video games for education and the (young) public. research, organised in Paris. During the International Year of Crystallography in 2014, http://lacasemate.fr/programmation/ ESRF and ILL participated in various projects, from individual hackathon-game-jam-cristallo events to the development of innovative tools for educational • Geolocalised Crystal Z app purposes. This smartphone app was a one-off initiative developed for • Krystallopolis website the public during the three weeks of the Fête de la Science The website is an invitation to explore the world around us, from late September to mid-October in Grenoble, where which is full of (mostly invisible) crystals. The hunt for na- many events and activities focused on crystallography. It noscopic crystals is open! And, to prove that crystallography targeted mainly the young public, from 15 to 25 years old. can be fun, Crystal Maze, Crystal Crush and quizzes help The scenario included following a story (how a strange you play with crystals. The website has been developed in epidemic struck the population), going to various places French and will be translated into English soon. It is a very and gaining crystals, answering scientific puzzles and play- useful resource to discover crystals and crystallography, for ing ‘mini games’. Relying strongly on geolocalisation in Physics students, teachers and the general public. the Grenoble area, it could also be played in other cities but www.krystallopolis.fr with less interactivity. www.crystalz.fr • vDiffraction This ‘serious game’ about diffraction, which targets science • More educational tools: card games, LED cubicle, Fourier students and teachers, is a fun way to enter the world of transform demonstrator crystals. In crystals, atoms are arranged in a highly ordered These tools have been conceived and developed for the structure with specific symmetries that are clearly visible in International Year of Crystallography, mainly by students. the diffraction patterns produced when crystals are hit by X- From the simplest (card games for primary-school children) rays, neutrons or electrons. In vDiffraction, you become the to the most advanced (Fourier transform demonstrator), scientist who has to identify the characteristic symmetries of they are adapted to be used in schools or events such as the a crystal. This is the first, crucial step towards understand- Fête de la Science. ing the atomic and molecular structure of a crystalline material. http://www.ill.eu/vdiffraction/ • Crystalline growth competition In a more traditional way, a competition was run in more • Crystal game jam than 100 schools in Grenoble and its surrounding region. In order to facilitate the development of new games about The objective was to grow the largest and most beautiful crystallography, we organised two simultaneous sessions, crystals: one in Grenoble, France, and one in Paris, France, with a http://concourscroissancecristaux2014.blogspot.fr/ www.knowtex.com/nav/ rires-et-cristaux-dans-l-amphi-­du-cnrs_41649 ILL is an international research centre at the leading edge of neutron science and technology, based in Grenoble, France. To learn more, see: www.ill.eu Also situated in Grenoble, France, ESRF operates the most powerful synchrotron radiation source in Europe. To learn more, see: www.esrf.eu For a list of ILL-related articles in Science in School, see: www.scienceinschool.org/ill For a list of ESRF-related articles in Science in School, see: www.scienceinschool.org/esrf

total of about 40 participants who formed teams. A typical www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 5 Greening chemistry

Chemistry is not always completely environmentally friendly; green chemistry is working to change that. Chemistry Environmental science Ages 12–19 As the authors point out, chemistry is surrounded by By Dudley Shallcross and Tim is slowly being introduced at school a negative halo among stu- Harrison level. Two of its earliest champions, dents and general public, Paul Anastas and John Warner, define but the chemistry behind hemistry has a mixed reputa- green chemistry as ‘the design of objects and materials is in- tion. We all benefit from the chemical products and processes that dispensable in our life. This Cconsumer goods and medicines that reduce or eliminate the use and gen- is the reason why I recom- the chemical industry produces, but eration of hazardous substances’. mend this article for use there is also a dark side – such as the The removal of, or reduction in, before addressing a chem- industry’s huge power needs and its chemical waste; the lowering of total istry course in secondary creation of toxic solvents, reactants energy requirements for chemical school. and waste products. For more than 20 processes; and an increase in safety The ideas behind green years, chemists have been trying to awareness are in the interests of hu- chemistry are clearly out- clean up chemistry through the grow- manity and the environment. Indus- lined in a simple style ing field of green chemistry. try too is interested; a report in 2011 with examples taken from Also known as sustainable chemis- suggested that green chemistry could everyday life, from drug try or environmentally benign chem- synthesis to biofuels. The istry, green chemistry is a concept that topic, of course, would be worth further deepening and, if possible, direct ex- perience through practical activities. Both these objectives are at hand by means of the quoted references (ACS website and Royal Society of Chemistry educational pages). Moreover, the history of chemical accidents, such as the Bhopal disaster, can provide teachers with ele- ments for discussing chem- ical safety, environmental sustainability and the role

Image courtesy of epSos.de of green chemistry. Gulia Realdon, Italy REVIEW

6 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Chemistry 7 H I

C H H C O O 3 3 COOH C O CH CH H nderstand C H H C U C O OH H Pd Raney nickel Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 2 H CO HF Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 The original six-step 1: The Figure synthesis of ibuprofen has now been replaced with a more efficient three-step synthesis

Science in School Science in School Image courtesy of Nicola Graf Nicola of courtesy Image H 5 H 2 6 C H H H 2 C O COOC N OH 3 O CIOOOC 2 COOH C CH O OH C N 2 O 3 CH O NH CH 3 O C O C H H H H 6 3 H 2 + AICI H OC 2 N Step 6 Step 4 Step 5 Step 3 Step 1 Step 2 - - - , but we will limit ourselves to w1 One theme of green chemistry is One theme of green are Pharmaceuticals, in particular, with fewer and Synthetic routes The main ideas underlying green green The main ideas underlying how much of the reagents and sol- how much of the reagents products, vents end up in the desired rather than as waste or by-products. the as- Reducing the waste reduces problems. sociated environmental The idea of ‘atom economy’ and the that students can simple exercises perform (see box) will underpin such of starting materi- ideas. The sources Reac- als should also be considered. wherever tants should be renewable sources or obtained from appropriate and easily available. readily that are in a multi-step syn- often produced thesis rather than simply by reacting in a test tube with reagent A reagent In a multi-step the drug. B to create made in one synthesis, the product step is used in the next but the yield of each step is much less than 100% so lost are materials, solvents and energy along the way. steps, bearing in productive more principles, make mind the other green less waste. For example, the painkiller was originally made in a ibuprofen the starting six-step synthesis from material isobutylbenzene, but a new, synthesis only uses efficient, more 1). steps (figure three Reducing waste cussion or an in-depth consideration cussion or an in-depth traditionally of the chemical processes look at we will taught in schools. Here a climate chemistry perspec this from full list of the 12 principles of A tive. chemistry can be found on- green line chemistry can be summed up briefly chemistry can be summed that could form in a few simple points topics for general class dis interesting US$65.5 billion US$65.5 billion save the industry by 2020. those aspects that are more applicable more those aspects that are to school-level chemistry: atom econ omy, the source of the reactants, using of the reactants, the source omy, benign substances environmentally use. energy and reducing www.scienceinschool.org Reducing toxicity Green chemists also try to use only Atom economy substances that do not harm the Traditionally, chemists have calculated the efficiency of a chemical environment. In one of the world’s reaction through a percentage yield calculation. worst industrial disasters, methyl isocyanate gas (CH NCO) used in Percentage yield = (moles of product achieved / moles of product 3 pesticide production leaked from the expected) x 100 Union Carbide India Limited plant in Barry Trost of Stanford University, USA, introduced the concept of Bhopal, India, in 1984. Thousands of atom economy as an alternative way to view the efficiency of a people were exposed. The immedi- reaction. Atom economy relates the total mass of starting materials ate death toll was reported as several to the mass of desired product. Therefore, the calculation highlights thousand, and around half a million the wasted resources: if little of the starting materials are in the prod- people were injured, suffering tempo- uct, they must be in the waste. rary or permanent disability. Percentage atom economy = (mass of desired product / total mass As well as choosing less toxic of all reagents) x 100 reagents, green chemists also try to It is easy to demonstrate by calculation that a chemist using atom switch to non-organic solvents like economy would use simple starting materials to build up a product water and super-critical carbon diox- rather than break a large molecule down, thereby producing a lot ide. The previously used hydrocarbon of waste products. solvents are toxic and emit vapours that are greenhouse gases, while Consider the reactions in which magnesium oxide is the desired halogenated solvents are often car- product: cinogens as well as greenhouse gases 2MgO a) 2Mg + O2 → and sources of free radicals – which 2 x 24 = 48 g 32 g 2 x 40 = 80 g destroy ozone. Atom economy = (80 / (48 + 32)) x 100 = 100% Reducing emissions b) MgCO → MgO + CO 3 2 The chemical industry needs a 84 g 40 g 44 g huge amount of electricity; reducing Atom economy = (40 / 84) x 100 = 48% that requirement is important both More advanced students may like to look at how changes to the economically and environmentally. w2

BACKGROUND production of ibuprofen would improve atom efficiency . Researchers use energy to heat and in- crease the pressure of reactions as well as to transport materials. Scientists are looking for alternative reaction path- ways that work at lower temperatures and pressures, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the burn- ing of fossil fuels. Finding more efficient catalysts for existing reactions will also cut down on reactant and energy waste. Ideally, catalysts would use readily available metals such as iron rather than more exotic ones such as platinum, which

Ube chemical plant Image courtesy of OAzipper/Wikimedia Commons Image courtesy of OAzipper/Wikimedia

8 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Chemistry 9 I

→ 3 nderstand O 2 U CH 2 Issue 31 : Spring 2015 OH + H I 2 CH 2 254: 1471–1477 OH + HOCH CH 2 2 CH CH 3 3 In 2013, however, a breakthrough a breakthrough In 2013, however, not are problems Environmental Chemistry Theory and Practice. New University USA: Oxford NY, York, ISBN: 0198502346 Press. for synthetic efficiency. – a search Science It has long been the target of the target It has long been the Science in School Science in School CH enabled butan-1-ol to be produced enabled butan-1-ol to be produced than more ethanol in yields of from catalyst. The 95% using a ruthenium challenge now is scaling the process up for industry. chemistry will so green going away, important. Bright become even more young people will be needed to apply chemical principles throughout green chemical sciences and engineering. References C (1998) Green Warner Anastas PT, BM (1991) The atom economy Trost and from fossil fuels (petrobutanol). fossil fuels (petrobutanol). and from either need processes these However, on or rely of energy amounts large (enzymes) and biological catalysts low yields. The separation of produce of products a mixture butan-1-ol from demanding. is also energy to make butan-1-ol chemical industry ethanol molecules by condensing two together: CH Does not vaporise as easily as ­gasoline 70% the energy Has only around density of gasoline Has a tendency to attract water within Is acidic at the temperatures the engine and can cause corrosion engines to be adapted to Requires of it. proportions with larger run Butan-1-ol (which has an energy as gasohol, ranging from E5 to E25. as gasohol, ranging from is not a particularly ethanol However, good fuel as it: · · · · · much a be would 29.2 MJ/l) of density better fuel additive than ethanol (19.6 similar more MJ/l) as it has properties (32.0 MJ/l). Butan-1-ol can be to petrol biomass (biobutanol) from produced The complex ruthenium catalyst used The to make butan-1-ol from ethanol When energy is needed, biofuels When energy

are desirable substitutes for fossil are fuels. Ethanol is a well-known biofuel by many fermentation produced Ethanol can be produced processes. vegetable matter including some from Adapted grasses and corn husks. vehicles can use 100% ethanol (E100) known mixtures, or ethanol–petrol Applying green chemistry to Applying green chemistry green fuels are scarce and require considerable and require scarce are also to obtain. Some catalysts energy - become ‘poisoned’ during the reac tion, meaning that chemicals bond to the active sites of the catalyst and on the surfaces that form products to dispose may be toxic and difficult of safely. www.scienceinschool.org Image courtesy of Duncan Wass/University of Bristol of Wass/University Duncan of courtesy Image Web references Resources w1 – The 12 principles of green chem- For practical activities associated with Dudley Shallcross is the professor in istry can be found on the website climate change, please see: atmospheric chemistry at the Univer- of the American Chemistry Society Shallcross D, Harrison T (2008) sity of Bristol, UK. (www.acs.org) or by following the Practical demonstrations to aug- Tim Harrison also works at the Uni- direct link: http://tinyurl.com/ ment climate change lessons. Science versity of Bristol, as the school teacher ocjc5q8 in School 10: 46–50. fellow at the School of Chemistry. This is a position for a secondary-school The ACS website also offers a range www.scienceinschool.org/2008/ teacher that was created to bridge the of educational resources on green issue10/climate gap between secondary schools and chemistry, including books, online Shallcross D, Harrison T, Henshaw universities, and to use the resources resources and experimental proto- S, Sellou L (2009) Fuelling interest: of the School of Chemistry to promote cols for all age groups (from second- climate change experiments. chemistry regionally, nationally and ary school to undergraduate). See Science in School 11: 38–43. internationally. the ACS website (www.acs.org) or www.scienceinschool.org/2009/ use the direct link: tinyurl.com/ issue11/climate pq8cd6c Shallcross D, Harrison T, Henshaw w2 – The Royal Society of Chemistry’s S, Sellou L (2009) Looking to the Learn Chemistry website has a les- heavens: climate change experi- son on the synthesis of ibroprofen, ments. Science in School 12: 34–39. which also considers the drug’s www.scienceinschool.org/2009/ structure and bonding. Visit: www. issue12/climate rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resource/ res00000012/nurofen

Image courtesy of epSos.de

10 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Biology Chemistry Physics 11 - I nderstand U Paul Xuereb, Malta Paul Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I

Physics Biology Ages 15–18

This is an interesting ar is an This demonstrates ticle which in different advances how in this of science, branches case neutron diffraction, - be used in the devel may opment of new drugs for the benefit of mankind. as article should serve The reading useful background be and may for teachers used to complement the of science with teaching real-life applications. It can also be used in com- prehension or discussion especially with activities type of The older students. questions asked depend on would the teachers what or focus on. like to teach is the example, what For of using neu- advantage trons instead of X-rays? REVIEW Institut Laue-Langevin (left) in Grenoble, The of is one of the most intense sources France, neutrons in the world research Science in School Science in School In contrast, the development of That meant that until recently, micrometres across and in a matter of across micrometres seconds (see Cornuejols, 2009). crystallography of large neutron biological molecules has been far less much and its application pronounced for The main reason less widespread. this is that the number of particles per per second (known centimetre square even the most intense as fluxes) from of many orders are sources neutron - magnitude less than the correspond ing fluxes at X-ray sources. crystallographers needed neutron times crystals and long exposure large data. of months to collect sufficient al- however, Recent improvements, low enough data to be collected from much smaller crystals in just a few days. That’s still longer than many X-ray-based experiments though, so One of why would we use neutrons? is the smallest atom in the the reasons Universe: hydrogen. - -

lography, the technique that lography, hen you think about crystal

Since the early days of protein X-ray Since the early days of protein

W

gone dramatic developments and High-intensity become widespread. by synchrotron X-ray beams provided - data to be rou allow radiation sources tiny crystals just tinely collected from most often comes to mind is X-ray It’s no wonder: in biol- diffraction. of than 88 000 structures more ogy, and nucleic acids, viruses proteins, assemblies have been macromolecular determined using X-rays. But as neu- crystallography has improved, tron useful in it is becoming increasingly Researchers helping to design drugs. at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in used France, have recently Grenoble, the facility to understand how an anti- HIV. targets drug retroviral one hundred crystallography around years ago, the technique has under the fight against HIV. structural information – and could help in information – and structural By Matthew Blakeley neutrons can also provide important important also provide neutrons can X-rays most often come to mind, but often come to mind, most X-rays When thinking about diffraction studies, studies, about diffraction When thinking Fighting HIV with neutrons HIV Fighting www.scienceinschool.org Image courtesy of ILL of courtesy Image Image courtesy of Andrey Kovalevsky drug designers new ways to strength- en this binding by subtly modifying the drug’s molecular structure. Hope- fully these changes will increase the effectiveness of the drug and reduce the necessary dosage. For example, drug designers could make the two hydrogen bonds even stronger by adding a reactive atom such as fluorine to the drug. Alter- natively, they could add more direct hydrogen bonds, for example by incorporating larger groups of atoms into the structure that would expel water molecules currently found in the binding site. The unique sensitivity of neutron Figure 1: The aspartic acid residues of two HIV-1 protease molecules (left and right) analysis to hydrogen atoms provides hydrogen-bonded to the hydroxyl group of the drug aprenavir (centre) the pharmaceutical industry with a new and powerful tool for structure- The importance of hydrogen researchers to locate the hydrogen guided drug design. Although the Most drugs work by binding to a atoms in the enzyme–drug complex value of X-ray macromolecular specific enzyme involved in a disease, and, critically, to identify those atoms crystallography will certainly con- so that its function is inhibited. A participating in hydrogen bonding tinue for many years because of its lot of modern drug design therefore between the drug and the enzyme. higher resolution, using both X-rays focuses on analysing and optimising and ­neutrons reveals more clearly Better resolution the interactions between the drug and how drugs interact with their protein its target. X-ray crystallography has Using previous X-ray studies, targets and will no doubt improve the been the favoured method to unravel scientists had speculated that several efficacy of other pharmaceuticals in these structural details, but X-rays do hydrogen-bond interactions were the future. not generally reveal the position of important in the binding of HIV-1 Reference hydrogen atoms in a molecule. These protease and amprenavir. However, often play a crucial role in binding the neutron study revealed that, in Cornuejols D (2009) Biological through weak yet important interac- fact, only two strong, direct hydrogen crystals: at the interface between tions known as hydrogen bonds. bonds exist between the drug and the physics, chemistry and biology. By contrast, neutrons can locate enzyme (figure 1). This finding shows the positions of all atoms includ- ing hydrogen, and so they provide a powerful analytical tool for analysing More about ILL drug-binding interactions. Recently, this was demonstrated in a study of the binding between an anti-retroviral w1 HIV drug (amprenavir) and its target The Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) is an interna- enzyme, HIV-1 protease. This enzyme tional research centre based in Grenoble, France. is a key part of the HIV life cycle – it It has led the world in neutron-scattering science and breaks down viral polypeptides to technology for over 40 years, since experiments began create the proteins needed for the in 1972. ILL operates one of the most intense neutron sources in the world, maturation and the production of new feeding beams of neutrons to a suite of 40 high-performance instruments that infectious virus particles. are constantly upgraded. Each year 1200 researchers from over 40 countries Scientists fired neutrons at a tiny visit ILL to conduct research into condensed matter physics, chemistry, biology, crystal of HIV-1 protease bound to nuclear physics and materials science. amprenavir (only 0.2 mm3 in size) ILL is a member of EIROforumw2, the publisher of Science in School. See the to collect data at a resolution of just list of all ILL-related articles in Science in School: www.scienceinschool.org/ill 0.2 nanometres. These data allowed

12 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Understand

Science in School 11: 70–76. www. Biology scienceinschool.org/2009/issue11/ Neutron diffraction crystallography Resource When a crystal is placed in an X-ray beam, the X-rays interact with the electron clouds of the atoms in the crystal, causing them to dif- Neutron diffraction has also helped fract in specific directions. By measuring the angles and intensities researchers investigate how anti- of these diffraction spots – or ‘reflections’ – we can produce a three- freeze in Arctic fish blood keeps Chemistry dimensional picture of the electron density within the crystal, from them alive in sub-zero conditions. which the mean positions of the atoms can be determined. Read more at: Neutron diffraction is conceptually very similar, except that the neu- Blakely M, Hayes E (2011) Neutrons trons are diffracted by the atomic nuclei of the crystal lattice rather and antifreeze: research into Arctic than the electron clouds around them. The scattering strengths for dif- fish. Science in School 20: 18–22. ferent atom types therefore don’t correlate with electron configuration www.scienceinschool.org/2011/­ but with the nuclear forces, which can even vary between different issue20/arctic isotopes of the same element. Web references Because of their small electron clouds, hydrogen and deuterium don’t have much effect on X-rays but they have similar neutron scattering w1 - Get more information about ILL: strengths to the other elements common in biological macromole- www.ill.eu cules: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. Consequently, hydrogen w2 - EIRO forum is a collaboration and deuterium, are not visible using X-ray scattering but are visible between eight of Europe’s largest in- with neutron scattering. ter-governmental scientific research This visibility of hydrogen and deuterium allows their positions to organisations, which combine their Physics be determined at resolutions of around 1.5 and 2.5 Å (1.5 x 10-10 m resources, fascilities and expertise to and 2.5 x 10-10 m), respectively. A hydrogen atom is about 1 Å across. support European science in reach- This makes neutron macromolecular crystallography particularly use- ing its full potential. As part of its ful for studies in which a knowledge of hydrogen atom positions is education and outreach activities, important, such as studies of enzyme mechanisms or drug-binding EIROforum published Science in studies where details of the hydrogen-bonding interactions can help School. See: www.eiroforum.org

BACKGROUND guide drug design.

Dr Matthew Blakeley is the instrument scientist responsible for the macromolecular neutron diffractometer LADI-III at Institut Inside the reactor hall Laue Langevin in Grenoble, France. After graduating from the University of Manchester, UK, with a degree in chemistry, Matthew­ completed his PhD in 2003. He then undertook postdoctoral research until 2007 at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory outstation in Grenoble, after which he took up his current position. His research interests are neutron crystallography instrumentation and method development, structural chemistry and structural biology. Image courtesy of Nerd bzh/Wikimedia Commons Image courtesy of Nerd bzh/Wikimedia

www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 13 Charles Spence Image courtesy of Charles Spence

The perfect meal

Psychology is teaching us how to make food sweeter without changing its ingredients.

By Adam Gristwood hance the sense of sweetness; on the other, a tune to bring to mind a feeling ormally it might be consid- of bitterness. This helped each diner ered rude to take your mobile to alter their perception of the dessert phoneN out at the dinner table, but and enjoy it more. “It seems we as- at London-based restaurant House sociate higher notes, such as a tinkling of Wolf, diners used their phones piano, with sweetness, and deeper, as part of an experiment into ‘sonic more resonant tones with bitterness,” seasoning’. Inspired by research led says Charles. by Charles Spence, a psychologist The simple experiment encourages from the University of Oxford, UK, diners to flick between high- and low- the restaurant invited diners who had pitched sounds as they enjoy a deli- been served a dessert of ‘cinder toffee cious bittersweet snackw1. Try it with lollies’ to use their mobile phones your class, perhaps with a toffee, and to ring one of two numbers. On one if you happen to experience sweetness phone line was music chosen to en- flooding over your taste buds as you

14 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Biology 15 I

nderstand Image courtesy of Dennis Wong/Wikimedia Commons Wong/Wikimedia Dennis of courtesy Image U Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I expert, Agora’ expert, Agora’ Science University Centre, Italy University Marina Minoli, didactics

Biology Psychology Philosophy Neurobiology Ages 16–18

This novel article is useful novel This - interac to understand the odour tion between vision, of It is and taste perception. - interest to read sci general on entific reports of works senses vision and chemical but the article also allows a sim- perform to teachers ple experiment with groups of students to explore how their different senses affect the tastes of specific foods. could be used activity This the biology and to study of the olfactory evolution system, including studying Nobel Prize winner Linda Buck. also use this could Teachers article to link neuroscience with humanistic subjects - or psychol as philosophy including a discus- ogy, sion with students about and about these activities conditions. environmental might also discuss the You to work of the applications consumer psychology. REVIEW Science in School Science in School Charles has also investigated why if it was served on a black plate rather on a black plate if it was served Another illustrated than a white one. can of whisky taste how perceptions woodier grassier, be influenced to be changes in lighting, by or sweeter, or surrounding noise background notes, for example, are scents. Woody lighting, enhanced by low mellow a rounded lighting and red whereas drink taste glass can make your sweeter. tomato juice is a drink of choice on ground but not on the an aeroplane (Spence et al, 2014), and found that potato chips that sound crunchier It seems that what we taste better. enjoy depends not only on our taste buds but also on our minds. “Even we put food into our mouths, before our brains have made a judgement about it,” explains Charles. “People when buy a wine that tasted great on holiday in the sun, open they were it on a cold winter’s and it tastes night horrible – everyone has had a version of this experience.” - - Charles’s publication list reads like Charles’s publication list reads This tasty exercise illustrates one of illustrates This tasty exercise an experimental tasting menu. In one an experimental tasting menu. In one with top Spanish chef designed study, Adria, diners rated an identical Ferran strawberry mousse as 10% less sweet Sensory science listen to the high notes, or bitter listen to the ness as the pitch gets lower, you are you are lower, ness as the pitch gets The music has not imagining things. or of flavour, changed your perception your brain to alter at least prompted the snack. how it perceives Charles’s team, that many approaches neuroscientists, in collaboration with designers marketers, musicologists, using to better under and chefs, are stand our experience of food and drink. “Flavour is shaped not only by taste and smell, but also by the the context of the meal environment, and visual cues,” he explains. “Food all the senses is the one place where the music The room, come together. played, even the shape and colour of your plate – they all matter.” www.scienceinschool.org The work has attracted the atten- identify ways of making insects tion of academia and industry alike. more attractive as a substitute for Coffee giant Starbucks has developed meat – and they could be used to playlists for customers to listen to, nudge people to make healthier food to get that ‘coffee-shop experience’ choices. “Before, the focus has been at home. Meanwhile, chocolate on technology in the kitchen – you do company Cadbury learned a harsh not see it, but you taste the results,” lesson when it gave its Dairy Milk he says. “I think we will increasingly bar a more rounded shape, only to see more things like directional receive complaints from consumers soundscapes and harnessing mobile who believed the recipe had been technologies at the table. Restaurants modified (it hadn’t). The reason? are a fantastic test bed of innovation Round tastes sweeter. “Surprisingly, – and if you can convince chefs that these perceptions are common across the colour of their plate matters, then groups of people,” Charles explains. it could be on the menu the following Image in the public domain / Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia / domain public the in Image “By taking our understanding of how day, just like that.” the brain works, we can learn which shapes, instruments and notes go with Reference particular tastes, and present them Spence C, Michel C, Smith B The taste of whisky can change together to make food healthier and (2014) Airplane noise and the with the lighting. taste better.” taste of umami. Flavour 3: 2. doi: 10.1186/2044-7248-3-2 New ideas on the menu Web references Amongst many other projects, Charles is currently working w1 – You can try the experiment with with a philosopher and a chef to your class using the two audio

Image courtesy of David Leggett/Wikimedia Commons

Chocolate tastes sweeter when it’s round.

16 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Understand

inter-governmental scientific research organisations, which Biology combine their resources, facilities and expertise to support European science in reaching its full potential. As part of its education and outreach activities, EIROforum publishes Science in School. See: www.eiroforum.org Resources

Charles Spence spoke at the 2014 EMBL/EMBO Science and Society Conference, ‘Foods are us! On eating and becoming’, about ‘The perfect meal’. You can watch the recorded talk here: http://tinyurl. com/qfprovz Don’t forget when teaching your Image courtesy of Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires/Wikimedis Commons Aires/Wikimedis Image courtesy of Gobierno de la Ciudad Buenos students about taste that the well-known ‘tongue map’ is an oversimplification, as this useful paper explores:

If chefs want to create the perfect meal they don’t just need to work in the kitchen. Marshall PA (2013) The tongue map, real or not? The American Biology Teacher 75: 583–586. doi: 10.1525/ tracks available from Charles’s w2 - The original article can be read abt.2013.75.8.11 blog at http://condimentjunkie. on the EMBL news portal, see For other articles on taste, why not co.uk/blog/2014/6/20/ http://news.embl.de/events/1410_ read these Science in School articles: spence bittersweet-symphony or extend the Schollar J (2006) The chocolate experiment using the new EP with w3 – Get more information about challenge. Science in School 2: 29–33. five tracks, one for each flavour: EMBL: www.embl.org www.scienceinschool.org/2006/ http://condimentjunkie.co.uk/ w4 – EIROforum is a collaboration issue2/chocchallenge blog/2014/11/17/sonic-taste-ep between eight of Europe’s largest Davis E (2014) From methional to fried chicken. Science in School 30: 44–48. www.scienceinschool. More about EMBL org/2014/issue30/HThis For another article on perception, see: Paterlini M (2010) Exploring out-of- body experiences: interview with This is a modified version of a story Henrik Ehrsson. Science in School that first appeared on EMBL’s news portalw2. 15: 4–7. www.scienceinschool. The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)w3 is one of the world’s org/2010/issue15/ehrsson top research institutions, dedicated to basic research in the life sciences. EMBL is international, innovative and interdisciplinary. Its employees from 60 nations have backgrounds including biology, physics, chemistry and Adam Gristwood is a journalist and computer science, and collaborate on research that covers the full spectrum of editor of EMBLetc magazine. Report- molecular biology. ing mainly on life sciences, he’s also covered stories from the Atacama EMBL is a member of EIROforumw4, the publisher of Science in School. Desert, the Large Hadron Collider and See the list of all EMBL-related articles in Science in School: a helicopter. www.scienceinschool.org/embl

www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 17 The challenging logistics of lunar exploration

The path to the Moon is paved with

Physics many challenges. What questions do Geography Biology the next generation of space explorers Astrophysics need to answer? Astrobiology Languages History Economics Ages 10–19 This article (part two of two) summarises challenges fac- ing future journeys to our Moon. The article stimulates ques- tions around how or if sci- entific missions to the Moon provide sufficient benefit to mankind and around how these missions are carried out. The students can consider questions like: · Where should we land on the Moon, and should robots or humans be used? · Should experiments be conducted on the Moon or Earth, and how should problems of transport be solved? · How many missions should be planned, and who should pay? Gerd Vogt, Higher Secondary School for ­Environment and Economics, Yspertal, Austria REVIEW

18 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Image courtesy of NASA/Dennis M. Davidson M. NASA/Dennis of courtesy Image Physics 19 I nderstand U Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I An artist’s impression of a lunar base. An artist’s similar to the vehicle A lunar rover Apollo missions is one used on three depicted in the foreground. Or should both go? Humans can Or should both go? Science in School Science in School do more science than a robot in the science than a robot do more Humans can same amount of time. their environment learn quickly from to assess a and apply their knowledge mission a human situation. However, and endan- money costs a lot more mis- lives than a robotic gers more are missions robotic sion. Commonly, planned first to perform preliminary scientific studies: they use cameras to study and scientific instruments prior to human arrival, and the area deliver supplies in anticipation of After a series later human missions. missions, human of successful robotic planned to perform more missions are complex tasks, including advanced scientific experiments, habitat con- and exploration. struction Should humans go? Should go? Should Should humans robots go? - - . Any experi- w3 making it an interesting making it an interesting

, w2 . Scientists think new destinations . Scientists think new w1 Furthermore, NASA’s LCROSS mis NASA’s Furthermore, study location for lunar geologists. study location for lunar is sion in 2009 determined that there that never ice at the poles in regions sunlight direct receive near side of the Moon, near the equa- of the Moon, near near side tor should be explored to expand our to expand should be explored Moon. Destina- understanding of the include the poles, tions of interest Pole–Aitken particularly the South oldest and largest, Basin, which is the on the lunar deepest known crater surface ments that study lunar ice will need the lunar poles. The far side to target - of the Moon would also be an interest ing new destination for exploration challenging but it is technically more line of is never a direct because there sight between the far side of the Moon and Earth, which would make mis and communication more sion control difficult.

n the first of this two-part series, n the first of this two-part wish I explained why scientists To the poles? The equator? The To near side of the Moon? Its far side? The answer to this depends on which being studied. scientific questions are Apollo missions all landed on the The

Where should we go on the Moon and why? I By Erin Tranfield to return to the Moon, what scien- to return it is and why tific questions remain - answers (Tran important to find the follow-up article, I field, 2014). In this but non-trivial describe some practical a successful challenges to fulfilling together with mission to the Moon, Your potential leads for solutions. students, the next generation of space can put their minds to work explorers, to generate ideas and solutions to these problems. www.scienceinschool.org Should the experiments be done on the Moon or on Earth? Lunar samples exist in an environ- The unique benefits of human exploration are illustrated by the ment of minimal air and water and work of Apollo astronaut Jack Schmidt, the only geologist to have away from contamination sources stood on the Moon. Jack Schmidt noticed a uniquely coloured such as humans, spacecraft and ­orange rock on the lunar surface and he collected samples. These Earth’s atmosphere. Studying samples unplanned samples have proved to be extremely important to our on the Moon therefore reduces the understanding of the history of the Moonw4 and would have been risk of sample change and contamina- missed completely if it were not for the training and experience of tion during transportation. However, Jack Schmidt. the cost and technological challenge BACKGROUND of developing and launching scientific instruments that are small enough and that function in lunar gravity limits what analysis can be performed on for the Apollo missions are a good eration will be ice core sampling. Ice the lunar surface. example of how challenging this task cores collected by drilling may be Therefore, samples that require mul- can be. They were designed to keep damaged by heat generated during tiple forms of analysis, or complicated oxygen and water away from the sam- the collection process, and collected instrumentation, should be tested on ples during the journey back to Earth; ice cores will presumably need to be Earth. This implies that they must be however, in some cases the abrasive transported back to Earth in specially carefully collected and transported to nature of the lunar dust degraded the designed containers to protect the Earth to minimise changes and con- seals and the samples were exposed samples from heat, light, radiation, tamination. The rock boxes designed to air and humidity. Another consid- oxygen and biological contaminates.

Image courtesy of Wknight94/Wikimedia Image courtesy of Rick Kline, Cornell University

A case used for the transport of lunar samples between the Moon and Earth during the Apollo programme. Inside the case are several sample collection and containment bags, used on the surface for initial sample col- lection and sorting. These items are on display at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, USA.

This sample of lunar olivine basalt The Orientale Basin is an impact was collected from the Moon site approximately the size of the by the Apollo 15 mission. It was American state of Texas. formed around 3.3 billion years ago and is now on display in the National Museum of Natural His- tory in Washington, DC, USA.

Image courtesy of Tyrol5/Wikimedia

20 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Understand

era Rev H ory reg f G o sy Who should pay? Who should te ur o c e g go? a Im In the political and economic landscape today, very few countries have all the necessary resources and skills to launch their own lunar missions. International co-operation, where countries contribute skills and resources, allows all countries to contribute to a shared mission of long- term space exploration, to the Moon and beyond. It will be a challenge to agree which countries can send astro- nauts and equipment, and this could be an interesting topic to discuss with Full Moon pho- your students. tograph show- The benefits of returning to the ing the northern Moon from a scientific and ex- hemisphere ploratory standpoint are enormous.

How can samples be stored on naissance Orbiter (LRO) mission cost Astronauts in simulated weightless Earth without compromising US$583 million in 2009 (US$633 mil- flight (in C-131 aircraft flying ‘zero-g’ their quality? lion in 2013 dollars)w6. The LCROSS trajectory at Wright Air Development / LRO mission was much cheaper Center). Weightless flights were a Physics The NASA curation facility in new form of training for the Mercury than the Apollo programme, but its Houston, Texas, USA, has established astronauts, and parabolic flights that scientific value was much smaller successful procedures for handling briefly go beyond Earth’s tug of gravity and did not involve human explora- soil samples under inert nitrogen gas, continue to be used for spaceflight tion. When planning large explora- training purposes. These flights are which ensures that they are well pro- tion programmes, a balance must be nicknamed the ‘vomit comet’ because tected from humidity, biological and achieved between robotic and human of the nausea that is often induced. gas contamination. Dedicated facilities missions to maximise­ scientific return Such forms of training are part of the exist for the investigation of samples, huge costs associated with human at a reasonable cost. and detailed records document what missions in space. has been done with each sample. New Image courtesy of NASA samples, such as ice cores, will require additional method development to make sure that they are handled in a way that protects their scientific value. How many missions to the Moon should be made? Every mission should be built with the goal of furthering our knowl- edge and our exploration abilities. ­However, every mission requires a considerable investment in technol- ogy, human time and money. As an example, at its peak, 400 000 people worked on the Apollo programme, which cost US$20 billion in 1970w5 (equivalent to about US$120 billion in 2013 when adjusted for inflation). In contrast, the LCROSS / Lunar Recon- www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 21 Image courtesy of NASA/JPL

False-colour mosaic constructed from a series of images taken through three spectral filters by Gali- leo’s imaging system as the spacecraft flew over the northern regions of the Moon in 1992. The part of the Moon visible from Earth is on the left side in this view. Bright pink: highland materials, such as those sur- rounding the oval lava-filled Crisium impact basin towards the bottom of the picture. Blue to orange: volcanic lava flows. To the left of Crisium, the dark blue Mare Tranquillitatis is richer in titanium than the green and orange maria above it. Thin mineral-rich soils associated with rela- tively recent impacts are represented by light blue colors. The youngest craters have prominent blue rays extending from them. The monochrome band on the right edge shows the unretouched surface of the Moon.

How­ever, many challenges must be Jack Schmidt during the Apollo 17 Many different technologies have overcome to accomplish those goals. mission, see NASA’s Lunar Sample arisen from space exploration. To This was achieved during the Apollo Compendium: http://curator.jsc. read stories on these technologies era, and there is a growing momen- nasa.gov/lunar/lsc/76535.pdf and products, read NASA’s Spinoff tum within the scientific community w5 – The NASA History Program publication: http://spinoff.nasa.gov today to do this again. Office provides a detailed history of To learn more about how Reference the Apollo programme. See: http:// extraterrestrial materials are history.nasa.gov/Apollomon/ documented, preserved, prepared Tranfield E (2014) Lunar diary: a Apollo.html and distributed, visit the website of chronicle of Earth’s journey through w6 – NASA’s extensive 2009 press kit NASA’s Astromaterials Acquisition space and time, as seen from the for the LRO and LCROSS missions and Curation Office: http://curator. Moon. Science in School 30: 36–43. provides detailed information, jsc.nasa.gov www.scienceinschool.org/2014/ including cost estimates. See: www. To find out more about past and issue30/Moon nasa.gov/pdf/360020main_LRO_ future lunar exploration, see: Web references LCROSS_presskit2.pdf Baker A (2010) Space exploration: Resources the return to the Moon. Science w1 – NASA’s website on Lunar and in School 16: 10–13. Planetary Science has a map of the The website of the Lunar and Plan- www.scienceinschool.org/2010/ landing locations of the Apollo etary Institute, which provides issue16/lunar missions. See: http://tinyurl. support services to NASA and the To watch a video giving an overview com/2rtfo9 science community, includes infor- of past, present and future Moon w2 – To learn more about the Moon’s mation and resources for students expeditions, see: http://youtu.be/ South Pole–Aitken Basin, see and teachers. Xe_nuRMH30c NASA’s website of the Solar System To learn more about the tools used Exploration Research Virtual Insti- during the Apollo programme, see: tute (http://servi.nasa.gov) or use www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/samples/ Erin Tranfield worked at NASA’s the direct link: http://tinyurl.com/ apollo/tools/ Ames Research Center in Moffett nddcqzt To access a lecture series from 2008 Field, CA, USA, where she studied w3 – NASA’s LCROSS mission was about the Moon, see: www.lpi.usra. the toxicity of lunar dust. Erin is now designed to search for water on the edu/lunar/moon101/ based at the Instituto Gulbenkian Moon. For more information, see: NASA’s Human Spaceflight website de Ciência in Oeiras, Portugal, and http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/mission. provides details about Apollo she works with the European Space htm program, including its cost. See: Agency on the effort to resume lunar w4 – To learn more about Troctolite http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/ exploration. 76535, the sample collected by history/apollo

22 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Inspire: Review

The Aspirin screen experiment

An online resource published by the Royal Society of Chemistry Chemistry

By Tim Harrison, Bristol are automatically stored in an online Resource laboratory note book, which can be ChemLabS, University of Bristol, Download the related booklet on printed or accessed with login details. UK which this resource is based: Individuals can obtain their own ten- digit user number for the website, or a Osborne C, Pack M (eds) (2003) he synthesis of one of the Aspirin 2nd edition. London, UK: world’s most common pharma- teacher can register the whole class at T one time. Royal Society of Chemistry. ISBN: ceuticals, aspirin, or acetylsalicylic 0854043888. Available for download acid, is found in many advanced The website provides additional notes and resources to aid teachers at: chemistry courses. The typical student www.rsc.org/­learn-chemistry/ carrying out the experiment may view in making the best of their students’ time. The original ‘aspirin’ book- content/filerepository/ the the lab script as a set of cookery CMP/00/000/045/Aspirin.pdf instructions to be followed without let, which is the basis of this online thinking about the underlying science. resource, is also available and can be This free web-based resource should used independently in its own right. put an end to thatw1. This is the first of a proposed The aspirin screen experiment com- series of exercises aimed at support- prises a series of exercises designed to ing students around the world who help the student through commonly are studying the UK’s A-level and asked questions, such as ‘Why is the international baccalaureate chemistry courses (for ages 16–18). However, the experiment conducted that way?’, resources should find a much wider ‘Why is that reagent used?’, ‘Why is it audience with all those wishing to heated for that long?’, and ‘Why was understand their practical sessions. that particular catalyst used?’. The resource comprises four sections – two Web references pre-lab and two post-lab exercises – w1 – The online resource is pub- which take around 40 minutes each lished by the UK’s Royal Society to work through and so make ideal of Chemistry: www.rsc.org/learn- homework. The use of pre-lab sup- chemistry/­resource/res00001644/­ port resources has been shown to aid aspirin-screen-experiment students’ confidence in the laboratory setting. Students are taken through each stage in the synthetic preparation and must make decisions based on the information presented. Exercises aid the students’ practical skills and understanding of the particular chemistry involved. Their answers www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 23 Image courtesy of the Royal Institution

Taking teaching home

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Alom Shaha science at home.

By Laura Howes teaching physics at Camden School

n for Girls in London, UK, and making tio titu ns ast summer, the UK-based films for the RI. l I ya Ro e Royal Institution (RI) started Parents are often children’s first th f o L y s publishing a series of short films teachers, Alom explains: “I learnt to e rt u o about science activities for children read on my father’s knee.” But many c e g w1 a on YouTube . Instead of just showing parents don’t have the confidence to m I how to perform the experiment, each teach science in the same way, Alom video shows a parent and their chil- adds, and that’s the goal of these vid- dren setting up the experiment, asking eos – to give parents confidence. questions and working out what’s “What we found in our research going on. The Experimental series was was that a lot of existing videos and developed by science teacher Alom books are about how to physically do Shaha, who splits his time between the experiments,” he explains. “And

24 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Chemistry Physics 25 - I

Nicosia, Cyprus Saint Demetrios Elementary School, Elementary School, Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I Christiana Th Christiana Th Nicolaou, Physics Chemistry science General 11 and under Ages

al phenomena and perform - experiments with our chil nature dren to explain how works. love I would As a teacher - work students my to see ing with their parents at also would and I home like to support them and into my them invite even their class to demonstrate experiments and explain they learned. I will what definitely recommend the Experimental project to the students. parents of my Science should be fun both Science should be fun both in and out of school, with teachers done when The parents. and with - Ex provide peRimental videos to co- parents with a way with construct knowledge in a non-typi- their children cal educational setting and we (as describes how Alom parents) can explore sever

Teacher profile Teacher nspire: I REVIEW Science in School Science in School

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m I Image courtesy of the Royal Institution Image courtesy of the Royal In particular, the project is aimed at the project In particular, in produced The first videos were “These videos have been produced London home is a sign saying ’Science London home is a motto and Experimental’s Lives Here’ is a play on this, stating the series is about ‘Bringing science home’. families that might not traditionally do science activities at home, or visit Alom. The goal is to help the RI, says boost what some people term science capital. “If you’ve got people in the scientists or engi- family who are more neers,” he explains, “you are likely to be exposed to science as a cultural activity and that can have a positive benefit.” time for the summer holidays, but are and their children while parents Alom also the primary audience, hopes that the videos will help teach- many of ers of younger children, whom might not be confident about science themselves. to help people engage young children in science. They could be 30 children in a class with a primary-school teacher or one child with a parent - - - The RI has a long history of making “As a teacher, I know the impor “As a teacher,

science accessible to the public. It is most famous for its Christmas lectures and could be thought of as the home of the science demo. Outside the RI’s Positive feedback Positive they might even give you an expla they might even give nation of the science…but what we felt was missing was the pedagogical technique to actually get your chil thinking critically.” dren tance of using questions to lead students into thinking about problems Alom says. “I feel and experiments,” science is about ask- that strongly ing questions.” So the videos show the same pedagogical techniques Alom uses in the classroom. that Each video also has accompanying information, outlining how to do the experiment and what sorts of ques- “Some of the most tions to consider. positive feedback we’ve had has been along the lines of ‘I didn’t realise that’s how I should have been talking to my child.’” www.scienceinschool.org

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m I Rubber band cannons help Serafino and Alessandro explore projectile motion and conservation of energy

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A history of education The Royal Institution in London, UK, was found- ed more than 200 years ago, in 1799. Its building at home,” he adds. “We know that for the past few years has divided his in London has housed primary schools suffer from a short- time between teaching and science famous scientists such age of qualified science teachers.” The communication projects, of which as Humphrey Davy and Experimental team has already had Expe­rimental is the most recent. ­Michael Faraday. One of feedback from many primary teachers For Alom, the two areas of teaching the Institution’s most fa- who say that the project is an incred- and science communication are com- mous activities is its an- ible resource. plementary, but he says he is glad that nual series of Christmas The website started with 10 differ- he gained his teaching qualification lectures for children, but ent experiments, most of which focus first. Having taken a break to work in this is just one part of the on physics. However, another 10 with television, he then returned to teach- organisation’s broader a focus on chemistry are now starting ing. “I feel that being a science com- educational work, includ- to appear, and Alom can also be found municator made me a better science ing videos like Alom’s and adding other videos on the RI chan- teacher,” he says. “But at the same interactive games. nel. In a year’s time, Alom and his time I think being a science teacher BACKGROUND colleagues hope that they might have makes me a better science commu- 30 or 40 activities, with both videos nicator.” The perspectives of both and text-based resources. roles enhance each other in a positive feedback loop. tion.”. For Alom, it’s a pity that more The importance of “Often the two jobs are the same,” teachers don’t do science communica- communication he says. “For both, you’re a cheer- tion and vice versa. Of course, manag- As well as training as a teacher, leader for science and teaching it, and ing to combine both activities depends Alom is qualified with a master’s there the pedagogical background on teachers having the time to take on degree in science communication, and helps – there’s an obvious connec- other roles.

26 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Inspire: Teacher profile Chemistry Image courtesy of the Royal Institution Image courtesy of the Royal Physics

Filming in progress as Oly and Viola explore the science of floating and Alom describes working at the RI Demo: The Movie sinking as an amazing experience, but that is (www.youtube.com/ only half of his job. He is extremely watch?v=ei57i78leUo and develop- grateful to his school for allowing ing the resource ‘Why science’ to him to work part-time, something he answer that perennial question from knows is quite rare. “Working with students: “What’s the point of this?” young people and seeing how they (www.whyscience.co.uk). relate to science has inspired me to do some of my best work as a science communicator,” he concludes. Laura Howes is co-editor of Science in School. She studied chemistry at the Web reference University of Oxford, UK, and then joined a learned society in the UK to w1 – The Experimental project begin working in science publish- website collects all its videos and ing and journalism. In 2013, Laura resources together at: moved to Germany and the European http://rigb.org/experimental Molecular Biology Laboratory to join Science in School. Resources

Some of Alom’s other work has fo- cused on helping teachers improve their demonstration skills with

www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 27 Climbing up the PISA ladder

Image courtesy of the German Federal Archive/Wikimedia Commons Since the first PISA study in 2000, changes in the system and innovations in the classroom have improved Teaching has performance in Germany. changed over the years

By Berit Viuf or celebration for teachers and policy A focus on Germany makers. However, in more than a dec- ade since its launch, it has also led to It was a shock to the population of ince it was first introduced, the innovations and changes in teaching Germany when, in December 2001, S triennial OECD Programme for practice. The PISA reports reveal how the results from the first 2000 PISA International Student Assessment practices have changed and what can study were published. The results (PISA) has been the subject of concern be learned. showed much lower maths and

Image courtesy of Metropolitan School /Wikimedia Commons

28 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Inspire: Spotlight on education

Image courtesy of Metropolitan School /Wikimedia Commons

General science By discussing the evolution of PISA results, the author emphasises the image of school as the pivotal means to counter the impact of socio-economic differences on youth job opportuni- ties and life horizons. The article raises the importance of studying the entire organisation of education as the major determinant of learning success in mathematics and sciences. Of course, evaluation of teach- ers or the investment in material and technological resources are also important. But the in- novation and creativity delivered to the class planning process – to achieve a more goal- and context-oriented learning – play a role whose importance is difficult to surpass. I hope this text stimulates a larger debate around the following questions among school decision-makers and teachers: 1. What themes and classroom methodologies have the potential to improve students’ atti- tudes towards maths and science learning? 2. How should schools be organised to support all kinds of students and thus promote social mobility? 3. Are good practices shared and reproduced? How can this be achieved? And, perhaps, more relevant: 4. What is the best approach to treating PISA results? Is the assessment itself an end or simply an additional criterion with which to work out the prevailing trends? Luis M. Aires, Antonia Gedeao Secondary School, Portugal REVIEW www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 29 Image courtesy of DALIBRI/Wikimedia Commons

­science performance than the average area, a lot of parents do not send their teach you a lot of general knowledge for OECD countries. Children of poor children to the Gymnasium even if at home.” socio-economic families were pri- they have good grades, because they Individual support marily at risk, and so a very unequal think that Realschule is sufficient to school system was revealed. get a good job or to study at a uni- One of the newest initiatives in Ba- The debate rising from the PISA versity of applied science (see box for varia is the so-called individual learn- results kickstarted different reforms an explanation of the German school ing class, where the teacher’s role is to in the educational system, by placing system). coach individual students to deepen emphasis on individual support, ex- At Wolfgang’s school, the staff en- their understanding of a topic or to tending the school day and introduc- courages families to let their children provide extra support in those areas in ing federal educational standards. stay in the Gymnasium if they have which the student has difficulties. By 2012, Germany had improved the talent. To help with this, the way “This kind of mentoring is quite reading, maths and science scores to that children are assessed has changed new, so there is yet no data to prove above the OECD average – mainly to make it easier to identify talented if the project is a success or not,” because of improvements in low- students and to argue that they should ­Wolfgang says. achieving students – and was the only continue their education. What is a success though, accord- European country to show improve- “We used to test a lot of pure knowl- ing to the experienced science teacher, ment in both mathematics ability and edge,” Wolfgang explains. “The prob- is another initiative: intensification equality. lem is that students from wealthier classes. In these extra classes on basic Wolfgang Pöschl, a science teacher families usually have better general subjects, no new material is intro- in a Gymnasium in the state of knowledge and therefore get better duced but the students practise exist- Bavaria, explains that he has noticed grades. Now we try to teach and test ing skills. how the reform has put much more skills in science. So you can get good “It’s helpful because I can give dif- emphasis on social mobility. In his grades even if your parents don’t ferent exercises to different students

30 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Inspire: Spotlight on education

spective (OECD, 2014), which looked Between 2003 and 2009, Germany at the association between school spent €4 billion on the establishment innovation and educational outcomes. of full-day schools. It is still voluntary The German The report concluded that high maths if a school wants to make afternoon three-pillar performance, more equal learning and classes obligatory. more satisfied teachers correlate with Happy but noisier school the amount of educational innovation system in each country. It is clear that by innovating in the The report also noted the move to- classroom, Germany has improved its After four or six years of wards context-based learning and the overall academic performance. Not primary school, depending importance of skills over pure factual only have testing scores improved, on which state they live in, recall in Europe, including introduc- but also the motivation and enjoy- German school students ing more student-directed experi- ment of attending school has been en- are divided into three dif- ments. In addition, it recognised the hanced. According to the 2012 PISA, ferent pathways: benefit of ‘enrichment’ activities, for German children have the highest · The Gymnasium offers example in the UK and Slovenia. self-belief in maths, showing motiva- a demanding academic Wolfgang Pöschl’s Gymnasium of- tion and believing in their own ability programme for those fers extra courses, usually in the after- to learn. who will be allowed to noon, in which students can specialise The only little fly in the ointment is apply for university. in alternative skills such as music, that the same children that report en- · The Realschule, with programming and foreign languages. joyment of learning also report more a less demanding aca- However, these ‘Leistungskurse’ or noise and disorder in the classroom. demic programme, leads extension courses have been stopped Reference to a lower secondary di- in the past two years to make time ploma. for the individual and intensification OECD (2014) Measuring Innovation in · The Hauptschule offers a classes. Education: A New Perspective. Paris, programme for those of France: OECD Publishing. ISBN: limited academic ability Longer school days 9789264215696 or interests and culmi- Many German states have chosen Web reference nates in a school-leaving to extend school hours to move closer certificate. to the OECD averages of 842 hours w1 – You can read the full 2012 PISA The system has come under for primary schools and 936 hours for results and various overview docu- criticism from PISA for es- secondary schools. ments here: www.oecd.org/pisa/ sentially dividing students Longer days give teachers more keyfindings/pisa-2012-results.htm according to social back- time to focus on inclusion. But even ground. though more time has the advantage BACKGROUND of more hours to spend with individ- Berit Viuf is a freelance journalist ual students, it also has its limitations, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Wolfgang explains, as students have and help them solve them. A lot of less time at home to complete their people think that these classes are re- homework. ally successful in helping low-achiev- As a consequence, teachers usually ers,” Wolfgang explains. don’t give written homework for the He thinks that this initiative is a next day if the student has afternoon success and that it helps the slow- classes. Depending on the grade, learning students to understand faster students have afternoon classes up to and better. four times a week. Those who have many afternoon The benefits of innovation classes do get tired by the end of the The introduction of ‘remedial edu- day, so complicated topics must be cation’ is a trend that was picked up taught earlier in the day. The planning by the OECD in its July report Measur- of curricula becomes a challenge for ing Innovation in Education: A New Per- many teachers. www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 31 Image in the public domain/Wikimedia commons

By Gustavo Giraldi Shimamoto An artistic and Adriana Vitorino Rossi ong before synthetic dyes and L pigments were available, natural introduction to products were used to create sim- ple but efficient inks (such as that described by Farusi, 2012) – which we can still see in the paintings of anthocyanin inks prehistoric and extinct civilisations. These natural colours could be min- eral in origin or from plant extracts; in this activity we focus on a particular group of plants that contain anthocya- nins (ACY, figure 1). Natural colours are often less stable than many synthetic dyes, changing colour or disintegrating with tempera- ture, light, pH variation and oxidising agents. This can lead to interesting Making pH-sensitive lessons, and in our work with primary school students we have used antho- inks from fruits and cyanins as colourants for pH-reactive vegetables is a creative ink production. variation of the cabbage- R indicator experiment. OH Figure 1: General structure of anthocyanin, in which R and R’ are H,

OH, or OCH3 and R’’ is OH O a sugar unit R’

O-R’’ The origin of colour Anthocyanins are organic com- pounds that produce the orange, red, OH purple, blue and nearly black colours in the flowers, fruit, leaves and roots of several fruit and vegetable species. Anthocyanin molecules contain ring structures that absorb light, and so act like a sunscreen, protecting the cells of the plant. The wavelengths of light that are not absorbed by the anthocyanin are instead reflected, and so the flower or fruit is seen as coloured. These colours also attract pollinators and seed dispersers and so are also important for the plant’s ­reproduction.

32 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Teach

Image courtesy of Janine/Wikimedia Commons

Biology Physics Chemistry General science History Art

Ages 8–14 Chemistry This is a novel way of teach- ing old science, either­ in class or through a ­science club. The introduction to the article could be used in a comprehension exercise and the article could be used to stimulate discus- sion around acids, alkalis and indicators; chemical extraction; plant science; Strawberries, blueberries and blackberries all contain anthocyanins and science and art. Tim Harrison, Bristol H H H ChemLabS, University of OH- OH-

REVIEW Bristol, UK ACY in acidic ACY in neutral ACY in alkaline solution solution solution H+ H+ H H H

Figure 2: Simplified representation of the chemical equilibrium responsible for the Anthocyanin solutions change change in colour of anthocyanin inks colour with the pH of the medium, acting as a natural pH indicator (figure 2). Generally, anthocyanins What is an ink? but advances in chemistry and new exhibit a red colour in acid solutions Inks are mixtures of dyes or pig- technological alternatives have made and a blue colour in alkaline media; ments and a binder compound which inks much more sophisticated, with however, other colours can be ob- helps the ink stick to the surface to infinite colour options and diverse served, depending on the pH and the be painted. This trivial formulation properties, such as the ability to ad- particular anthocyanin and its source. has been used for thousands of years, here to glossy paper or egg shells. This is because adding and removing + hydrogen ions (H ) from the pig- Image courtesy of the authors ment’s molecular structure changes its electronic properties and so alters the wavelengths of light that the pigment absorbs. This property allows us to use plant extracts to determine the pH Reproduction of a of household materials and to indicate stamp print made the endpoint of acid/base titrations, using ACY ink as in the famous cabbage-indicator experiment (Terci & Rossi, 2002; Rossi & Shimamoto, 2010). The colour vari- ability of anthocyanins can also be ex- plored by producing ink for brushes, stamp painting or screen printing. www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 33 Image courtesy of the authors An essential component of an ink is the substance that imparts the colour: the pigment or dye. A pigment is a finely divided solid that is insoluble in the dispersion medium of the ink and provides – in addition to colour – opacity and strength, among other effects, whereas dyes are generally compounds that are soluble in the ink medium. In our ink, the anthocyanin extract is a pigment.

Anthocyanin ink for painting, stamping, or screen printing

Materials

· Fruits or vegetables containing anthocyanins, such as blackberries, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or red cabbage. Children using the anthocyanin ink · 94% ethanol (volume/volume) · filter paper (a coffee filter can also be used) 3. Dry the anthocyanin extract by applying the anthocyanin ink to bond · Petri dishes leaving the extract in opened Petri paper, the paintings will be partially dishes protected from light until · water dried. the solvent evaporates (2 days). For Safety note: Check your local regu- · bond paper (a high-quality durable more rapid evaporation, the dishes lations when using acid or alkaline writing paper with a density greater can be subjected to cold airflow or solutions, as safety glasses may be than 50 g/m-2) stored in a chemical hood or under required. · stamps, paint roller or brushes a range hood. About what happens · vinegar 4. After it is dry, mix the dried · multi-purpose cleaning products ­anthocyanin extract (which has Anthocyanin extracts are natural with alkaline properties a pasty appearance) with water pH indicators in solution as well as in a ratio of approximately 1 : 10 on paper. The change in colour can be Procedure (weight :­ volume). explained by the interaction between 1. Crush the fruit or vegetable and You can then use the prepared ink the anthocyanin-impregnated water mix in ethanol at an approximate with brushes or stamps, or for screen molecules on the paper, and the acetic ratio of 1 : 3 (weight : volume) for printing. As this ink is a pH indica- acid from vinegar or the alkali from 30 minutes. tor, its colour can be changed by the the multi-purpose cleaner. 2. Filter using filter paper and pour addition of acid or alkaline solutions. The ink’s colour change is linked the filtrate into Petri dishes. A brush could be used to apply an to a chemical equilibrium (shown in acid solution (vinegar) and an alka- simplified form in figure 2). Antho- Image courtesy of the authors line solution (diluted multi-purpose cyanins are organic compounds that cleaner) on paper dyed with the ink, have several substituents on which H+ or paintings could be sprinkled with ions are added or removed at vari- acid and alkaline solutions to change ous pH values to produce different their colours. Another option is to coloured solutions. In figure 2, there write or draw with acid and alkaline are three main colours because three solutions, which are colourless, and media were used with the anthocya- reveal the message by spraying with nin paints: acid, neutral and alkaline. Reproduction of stamp prints made anthocyanin ink, simulating an invis- By using solutions of different pHs, using ACY ink ible ink. Approximately 1 minute after the different dyes can be compared.

34 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Teach

Image courtesy of the authors Rossi AV, Shimamoto GG (2010) Anto- cianinas e gelo seco para visualizar equilíbrios ácido/base numa abord- agem contextualizada. Educació Química EduQ 7: 31–36. http://bit.ly/1voRl uf (in Portu- guese)

Terci DBL, Rossi AV (2002) Chemistry Indicadores naturais de pH: usar papel ou solução? Química Nova 25: 684–688 [in Portuguese]

Web reference

w1 – For more information about the Group for Research in Analytical Chemistry and Education at the University of Campinas (UNI- CAMP) in São Paolo, Brazil, see: http://gpquae.iqm.unicamp.br (in Changing the colour of the paintings with vinegar solution Portuguese)

Resources The anthocyanin ink can be used by References Beautiful Chemistry, a website based younger children (under 11) for draw- Farusi G (2012) Indigo: recreating in China, has videos and pictures ing and painting activities. Older chil- Pharaoh’s dye. Science in School of plants changing colour with pH. dren (11+) or supervising adults can 24: 40–46. www.scienceinschool. Visit: http://beautifulchemistry. use vinegar (acid) and diluted cleaner org/2012/issue24/indigo net/reactions.html (alkaline) to change the designs and engage in interactions with the group.

You can easily modify the prepara- Image courtesy of the authors General science tion and application of this ink, which does not require toxic reagents and does not generate residues that need to be treated before disposal. The main purpose of this recrea- tional activity is to arouse curiosity, but because you can use any fruit or vegetable that contains anthocyanins Primary to produce these pH-sensitive inks, an interdisciplinary approach that incor- porates environmental education and local values is possible. While making the inks, you can discuss nature, the environment, biodiversity and their rational exploitation to obtain useful products.

Acknowledgement The authors acknowledge the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) Changing colours with different pH solutions. (a) Initial colour print, (b) after acid for financial support. treatment, and (c) after alkali treatment www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 35 Anthocyanins can also be used to HTS (eds) A Química Perto de Você Adriana Vitorino Rossi has a PhD make dye-sensitised solar cells, as – Experimentos de baixo custo para a from UNICAMP and is now a profes- described in this teaching activity: sala de aula do Ensino Fundamental sor in the Institute of Chemistry. She Shallcross D, Harrison T, Henshaw e Médio pp35–43. Cidade Univer- works in analytical chemistry and S, Sellou L (2009) Looking to the sitária, São Paulo, Brazil: Socie- chemical education and co-ordinates heavens: climate change experi- dade Brasileira de Química. ISBN: the Group for Research in Analytical w1 ments. Science in School 12: 34–39. 9788564099005 [in Portuguese]. This Chemistry and Education at UNI- CAMP. www.scienceinschool.org/2009/­ e-book is freely available to down- load: http://bit.ly/1CpCNML issue12/climate If you enjoyed reading this article, you may find the following book Gustavo Giraldi Shimamoto is chapter interesting: a doctoral student in the analyti- Salamão AA, et al. (2010) Jogo ped- cal chemistry program at the Uni- agógico que explora a propriedade versidade Estadual de Campinas indicadora de pH de extratos de (UNICAMP) in São Paolo, Brazil, antocianinas de espécies brasilei- and works at the Nuclear Magnetic ras. In de Rezende CM, Braibante Resonance Laboratory. Image courtesy of Amada44/Wikimedia Commons Amada44/Wikimedia Image courtesy of

36 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Teach

Figure 1: The constellation of Orion

Physics Astronomy Astrophysics Ages 11–19 The article proposes an ex- perimental method for high- lighting the colour depend- ence of the star’s temperature and is a welcome support for Image courtesy of H. Raab astrophysics lessons. The students learn more eas- ily with experiments and generally they have a mis- Starlight inside conception about the stars’ colour which can be re- moved with a simple bulb. a light bulb The experiment can be Physics extended by getting the students to make a class Hertzsprung–Russell (H–R) diagram. Give each student the name of a star, and they Different stars shine with different have to find on internet colours, and you can use a light bulb the main characteristics of this star: temperature, age, to help explain why. brightness, luminosity. Then they fill these features on a dot with the same colour as the star and put the dot on a big H–R poster. By Carla Ribeiro a range of colours. Near the Orion The article can be useful for constellation, in the winter sky, some young students: 11–13 years of the stars are bright enough to dis- fter sunset, we can see thou- old without the theoretical cern their hue (figure 1): white/blue sands of stars as white dots part from the beginning, A (Sirius, above the tree on the left), blue across the night sky. They appear only with the experiment (Rigel, above the tree on the right), white because our eyes cannot usually and with H–R diagram with and red/orange (Betelgeuse and detect the colour of such dim objects. coloured dots. The older stu- Aldebaran at the top centre and right, However, if we look carefully at the dents can use the formulas respectively). brightest stars we can see that not all from the article to calculate of them are white; they have different Orion different parameters. hues. And based on their colour alone, To understand the relationship Corina Toma, Computer we can tell which stars are hotter and between a star’s colour and its Science High School which ones are colder. temperature, we need to observe an “Tiberiu Popoviciu” Cluj Napoca, Romania The brightest star seen from Earth object close to us that, like the stars, REVIEW – the Sun – is yellow, but stars have shines because it’s hot: the filament of

www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 37 Image courtesy of Mpfiz/Wikimedia Figure 2: Spectra of a black body at different temperatures

an incandescent lamp. The filament the brighter it will shine: tion emitted with higher intensity is behaves like a black body, a subject P = AsT4 (1) displaced to shorter wavelengths (red, studied by physicists that represents where P is the total power radiated orange, yellow, and so on): s a milestone in the history of modern by the black body, A its surface area, max = b/T (2) physics. the Stefan–Boltzmann constant and T where max is the wavelength of the absolute temperature. maximum intensity, T the absolute Black body radiation Wien’s displacement law (equation temperature and b the Wien’s dis- By the late 19th century, scientists 2) states that the peak wavelength placement constant. knew that bodies would glow when of the spectrum of emitted light is A lamp’s filament at 2000 K, so not heated and that their colour would inversely proportional to the absolute very hot, will shine a reddish light depend not on their material but on temperature. In other words, when because the visible light it emits is their temperature. But physicists a black body is heated, the radia- mainly longer wavelengths. At 3000 could not find a model that described K, the filament will not only shine the radiation emitted by a black body, Incandescent lamp and its tungsten brighter but also emit a yellow light, a perfect physical entity that reflects filament because the light now has shorter all the electromagnetic radiation that wavelengths (figure 2). strikes it, regardless of its incoming The Stefan–Boltzmann and Wien’s direction or frequency. displacement laws that explain the The intensity and colour of the light filament’s behaviour, and their math- emitted by a body could be explained ematical equations, are studied by by the Stefan–Boltzmann and Wien’s secondary school students (15 years displacement laws, but a model that and older), but they can be demon-

describes the spectrum emitted by a Image courtesy of Dickbauch/Wikimedia strated to the general public and even black body only appeared at the be- to young children with something ginning of the 20th century. Published as simple as a light bulb. The lamp’s by the physicist Max Planck, it laid the filament is a cheap, safe and acces- foundations of quantum physics. sible black body, whose temperature A black body emits a continuum – and, therefore, emitted light – can be spectrum of light, like those repre- controlled. sented in figure 2. According to the Stefan–Boltzmann law (equation 1), The incandescent lamp the black body radiates energy at a For many years, incandescent light rate that is proportional to the fourth bulbs were the most common lamps power of its absolute temperature. In used in our homes. The tungsten fila- other words, the hotter the black body, ment, which is heated to incandesce

38 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Teach

Image courtesy of Carla Isabel Ribeiro Figure 3: Set-up of the experiment

Image courtesy of Carla Isabel Ribeiro Figure 4: The experiment showing how the temperature (measured by the thermometer on the right) increases as the voltage increases. Physics

by an electric current, is responsible the electric current (I) according to body, then we can vary the filament’s for the light emitted. Tungsten is used Ohm’s law: temperature, and the light it emits, P = IV (3) because it has a high melting point of e by controlling its voltage and electric If we assume that all the electric current : 3695 K (3422 °C). power (equation 3) is radiated by the IV = AsT4 (4) The electric power (Pe) input to the filament (equation 1) and that the lamp depends on the voltage (V) and filament behaves like a perfect black www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 39 Image courtesy of Carla Isabel Ribeiro

Light bulbs with the glass bulbs at 22.5 °C, 24.0 °C, 25.3 °C, 26.7 °C and 27.0 °C

Measuring the temperature of Try to avoid a completely dark room ly higher temperatures. The filament a black body so that staring at the lamp is not un- cannot reach the temperature required comfortable. to emit blue light; the metal would Materials simply melt. About what happens The experiment requires only a Based only on this experiment, it’s 3.5 V light bulb and a variable direct As the voltage increases, so does the possible to deduce that the surface of current energy supply (or a bat- temperature of the filament and bulb. the stars Betelgeuse and Aldebaran tery and a rheostat), and a digital The colour and intensity of the light (red/orange) are colder than the ­thermometer. also changes. Sun (yellow) and that Sirius (white/ Starting at a low voltage, the lamp blue) is hotter than all of them. And, Procedure shines a dim red light. As the volt- although it could not be shown using The increase in the filament’s tem- age and the filament’s temperature the incandescent lamp, Rigel (blue) is perature can be inferred by the glass increase, the light becomes more the hottest of all the stars described bulb’s temperature, measured by a intense and changes colour: from red here. thermometer. The experimental set-up to orange, yellow and then white. The stars’ surfaces can reach is simple : the lamp is connected to the Although the filament can reach higher temperatures than the tung- variable DC energy supply and a digi- temperatures of up to ~3000 °C, it sten filament, so their colour range tal thermometer is placed so it touches is too small to release much heat so is greater. This is represented by the the lamp’s bulb (figure 3). the bulb itself has a low temperature. Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram Gradually increase the voltage, Nonetheless, it’s possible to infer that (figure 5), which plots the stars’ observe the colour and intensity of the red light is related to a lower filament temperature against their luminosity. light emitted by the lamp, and meas- temperature and that orange, yellow Our experimental results are consist- ure the bulb’s temperature ­(figure 4). and white light is linked to increasing- ent with the temperature information Image courtesy of Jeff Kubina /Wikimedia The heated metal of a blacksmith also acts like a black body.

40 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Teach Image courtesy of ESO/Wikimedia Figure 5: The Hertzsprung– Russell diagram plots the temperaure of the stars against their luminosity. Physics

in this diagram: unlike the convention lamp’s filament, they glow because grating. The light from an incandes- for water taps, which marks hot water they are hot; they emit red light when cent object has a continuous spectrum with red and cold water with blue, their temperature is lower and yel- whereas the other sources of light do a red star is much colder than a blue low/orange light when it is higher. not. So, if the spectrum is discontinu- star. Although it seems to contradict ous, then the rule that links tempera- Light sources and colour the Stefan–Boltzmann law, the bright- ture and light colour does not apply. est stars are not always the hottest due temperature to their size (a white dwarf is hotter Remember, the light emitted by a Web reference than the Sun, but because it is much light source does not always indicate w1 – Understand why there are no smaller, it does not shine as brightly). its temperature. A simple example is green or purple stars by watching We do not see any green stars the fluorescent lamps in our homes. a short video on the How Stuff w1. A because of how we interpret light Whereas the filament of the incan- Works website: star that emits mainly green light also descent light bulb is about 2700 K http://videos.howstuffworks.com/ emits red and blue light, and the sum (figure 6), fluorescent lamps are much nasa/5329-why-arent-there-green- of all the visible radiation emitted is colder (and energy efficient). The or-purple-stars-video.htm perceived by our brains as white light. mechanism that produces the light in fluorescent bulbs is different, so the Resources Other incandescent bodies colour and temperature of these light Stars and incandescent lamps are sources are not linked in the same Learn more about the night sky and not the only examples of objects that way. how astronomers investigate the life shine because they are hot. Lava and It’s possible to differentiate incan- cycle of stars: heated metal worked by a blacksmith descent and fluorescent lamps by their Mignone C, Barnes R (2014) More are other, albeit less common, exam- light spectrum by using an object as than meets the eye: how space ples of incandescent bodies. Like the simple as a DVD to act as a diffraction telescopes see beyond the rainbow. www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 41 Images courtesy of Carla Isabel Ribeiro and Reguiieee/Wikimedia Continuous spectrum of a fluorescent lamp split by a CD

Science in School 29: 49–54. ent colours in this Science in School www.scienceinschool.org/2014/ article on chemiluminescence: Carla Isabel Ribeiro teaches chem- issue29/EM_Astronomy Welsh, E (2011) What is chemilumi- istry and physics at a public Portu- Learn how to build your own nescence?, Science in School, 19, guese school, to students ranging in ­spectrometer: 62–68 www.scienceinschool. age from 13 to 18, and is particularly org/2011/issue19/ Westra, MT (2007) A fresh look at interested in astronomy. chemiluminescence light: build your own spectrometer 4, 30 – 34. www.scienceinschool. Max Planck was a German theoreti- org/2007/­issue4/spectrometer cal physicist best known for devis- ing Planck’s constant, as part of For a step-by-step lesson plan on his work on black body radiation. how to calculate the temperature of Learn more about Planck’s constant, stars based on their emission spec- including a method to determine it tra, read: Olivetto C. et al. (2014) yourself: Camping under the stars – the ESO de Amorim e Sá Ferreira André MR, Astronomy Camp 2013 Science in de Brito André PS (2014) Classroom School 30 8–15 www.scienceinschool. fundamentals: measuring the Planck org/2014/issue30/ESOcamp constant. Science in School 28: 28–33. Read more about how living creatures www.scienceinschool.org/2014/­ produce their own light of differ- issue28/planck

42 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Teach

Coding without computers Programmes don’t need a computer – turn your students into coders and robots with just pens, paper and a stack of cups.

By Thinkersmith figure out how to guide one another Programming a robot to accomplish specific tasks without Start by asking the class if anyone Coding and computer science are discussing them first. has heard of robotics. Has anyone becoming important parts of the This activity teaches students the seen a robot or touched one? Does a curriculum and the scientific world, connection between symbols and ac- robot really ‘hear’ you speak? Does it but many of their principles can be tions, as well as the valuable skill of really ‘understand’ what you say? The explored without the need for com- debugging. If time allows, there is an answer to the latter question is: “Not puters. Using a predefined ‘robot option to introduce functions at the in the same way as a person does.” vocabulary’, your students will end of the lesson. Robots operate using instructions: Physics

Learning code doesn’t have to look like this Image courtesy of Almonroth/Wikimedia Commons

www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 43 Image courtesy of Thinkersmith specific sets of things that they have With your hand still in the air, ask been pre-programmed to do. To ac- for the next move. You may have to complish a task, a robot needs to have remind the class that one step forward a series of instructions (sometimes is only half the width of a cup (see called an algorithm) that it can follow. figure 3). This activity teaches the students Once you’ve placed a single cup ask what it takes to make that happen. the class to help you write the sym- bols on the board so that you can ‘run Materials the program’ later. · symbol key (1 per team)w1 1. Split class into teams (see Adjust- · cup stack cards (1 set per team)w1 ments box for ideal sizes). · disposable cups (6 or more per team) 2. Each team should choose one ‘robot’. Send the robots to the · blank paper (1 per person) ‘robot library’ in another part of · a pen or pencil (1 per person) the classroom while the ‘program- mers’ start coding. Robots can use Procedure their time in the library to practice Pull out a copy of the symbol key or Figure 1: Symbol key cup stacking and make sure they write the symbols on the board (figure understand the rules. 1). These are the only six symbols that 3. Choose the cup stack cards for the students will use for this activity. each team. For this task, they will instruct their 4. Each team should create an algo- robot to build a specific cup stack us- rithm for the robot to build the ing only these arrows. selected stack. First work through an example with 5. The teams should then translate the class. Show them the stack of cups their algorithm into arrows, as illustrated in figure 2. Place your cups described in the symbol key. The on the table where everyone can see programmers should review their them. Ask the class to give you the code to see if it makes sense. first instruction to create this stack. The correct answer is “pick up a cup”. 6. When the programmers have fin- When you pick up each cup, note ished coding the creation of their that you should lift the cup above the Figure 2: The three-cup stack cup stack, they can retrieve their highest cup already in the stack. robot. Back 1 step Back 0 steps 1 steps 2 steps 3 steps 4 steps 5 steps 6 steps Image courtesy of Thinkersmith

Figure 3: How to build the three-cup stack

44 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Teach

Image courtesy of MastaIroh/Wikimedia Commons

Adjustments: For primary school classes · Try this lesson together as one class. Let the stu- dents call out directions for the teacher to write down. · If you have a classroom assistant, he or she can leave the room dur- ing programming, then return to perform the finished code.

· If there is time, swap 7. Once the robot returns, everyone tions. Your students may come up roles so that the class in the team should remain silent. with other shortcuts and functions. assistant writes the The robot reads the symbols from Now that the class has these new instructions from the the cards and translates them back functions, let them tackle one of the class and the teacher into movements. more challenging cup stack cards. performs them. 8. If there is a mistake in their code, Teams may work together if they need

For students aged 11–14 the team can halt the programme more cups to work with. Physics years old and send the robot away before Web references debugging their programme and · Keep team sizes be- asking the robot to re-run it. tween three and five w1 – The symbol key and cup stack Each time a team solves a challenge, students, depending on cards are available to download the team members should choose a the personality of the from the article page on the Sci- new robot to send to the library, and students. ence in School website: www. the team should be given a new (pref- scienceinschool.org/2015/issue31/ · Expect each student to erably more difficult) cup stack card. coding want a turn, which will likely use the entire Optional: Functions w2 – More classroom activities are hour. available from the Thinkersmith Often, during this activity, students website: www.Thinkersmith.org begin to write a shortened version of For students aged 14+ w3 – The lesson plan and accompa- the instructions using numbers. For years old nying video can be found at the example tx5 instead of ttttt. · Limit teams to a maxi- Computer Science Education Week Discourage this practice, and mum of four students, website at: http://csedweek.org/ remind students to stick only to the although groups of three unplugged/thinkersmith six symbols they are allowed. In the are ideal. following activity, however, you can · Once each student has recognise the brilliance and foresight This activity was adapted from the been the robot there is of students who tried that trick, and Travelling Circuits lesson ‘My Ro- usually still time for the acknowledge that they independently botic Friends’, developed by Think- BACKGROUND activity on functions. discovered the need for functions. ersmithw2 and published under the An arrow with numbers is a clever Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-SA li- way of indicating that we want to cense. The full lesson plan is hosted in repeat a movement a specific number English and Spanish on the Computer of times. By allowing repetition, we Science Education Week websitew3. are essentially creating a new symbol to avoid re-using code unnecessarily. This is exactly the idea behind func- www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 45 Image courtesy of the National Institutes Health (NIH)

Scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic HeLa cell Cell spotting – let’s fight cancer together!

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I HeLa cells may remember, involve me and I learn,” HeLa cells are a special hu- Benjamin Franklin once said. Make that man cell line. They originate from a woman called Hen- quote yours and involve your students in a rietta Lacks, who died from cervical cancer in 1951. Her real cancer-research project that will teach doctor took some cells from them more than just genetics and cell death. her tumour and managed to grow them in a culture me- dium, developing the first human cell line. HeLa cells By António J Monteiro, Cândida cells without harming healthy cells. are the most widely used G Silva and José C Villar Existing chemotherapy treatments human cells in biology labs have failed to reach that ideal level of

BACKGROUND across the world. fficient cancer drugs need to selectivity, but many research teams E selectively destroy tumour continue to look for compounds that 46 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Teach

could become the effective and side- the response of HeLa cells to different Biology effect-free drugs of tomorrow. chemical compounds. Biology The search for suitable compounds The Cell Spotting project Technology is performed primarily by robotic Ages 14–18 The Cell Spotting team is testing systems that quickly test and identify This article describes a stu- more than 14 000 chemical com- millions of candidate chemical com- dent-centred activity that pounds in HeLa cells and observing pounds: they put cancer cells together introduces the concept of their reaction using advanced optical with potential drugs and observe efficient cancer drugs and microscopy techniques. HeLa cell cul- whether the cells die or survive. Such how different compounds tures are being photographed every experiments generate thousands or are tested to see if they are Image courtesy of the National Institutes Health (NIH) half hour in three different channels: even millions of cell images that then effective in killing cancer normal light, blue and green fluores- need to be analysed according to cells. Students are then led cence (Lostal et al, 2013a; 2013b). The several parameters – such as the cell’s through an exercise in which normal light reveals the global shape status, the release of cellular content, they learn about HeLa cells of the cell membranes; the blue fluo- the distribution of the mitochondria, and how these are cultured rescent channel is specifically for the or the shape of the nucleus – and clas- with isolated compounds to observation of the cell nuclei (they are sified to determine the cell’s response test the effect of that com- dyed with the fluorochrome Hoechst to each potential drug. The ideal solu- pound on cancer cells. They 33342, which emits blue light when tion to treat this huge amount of data also learn about cell apopto- bound to DNA); and the green light sis and cell necrosis through would be to use computers. However, is for the observation of the cells’ mi- visual examples. they are not good enough to recognise tochondria (which are dyed with the patterns: nothing beats the human fluorochrome Mitotracker). By com- Students are then introduced eye for that task (Lostal et al, 2013a; bining data acquired from the three to the Cell Spotting research 2013b)! channels, the scientists can generate project, which allows par- That is where you and your class images that contain detailed informa- ticipants to analyse cells and step in. Researchers need help from as tion about these three elements of the contribute to the project by many volunteers as possible to sup- cells’ structure and also videos that uploading their analyses. port them with image analysis and to show cell movements, division and Each step of the project is identify potential new drugs against death over time. More than 4000 im- supported by clear instruc- cancer as rapidly as possible. Your ages are taken per day and about 14 tions and explanatory notes students will learn about cell death 112 images are produced in a single to help students use their by helping scientists to characterise experiment. knowledge and contribute to the project.

REVIEW Dr Shaista Shirazi, UK Image courtesy of SOCIENTIZE

Figure 1. Comparison of an animal cell representation with a HeLa cell image

www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 47 Spot cells and help fight Procedure necrosis and to identify healthy cancer from your classroom HeLa cells from dying cells: A) Explore the Cell Spotting research a) Ask your students to analyse This activity is designed to be imple- project and understand its context. figure 5 from the didactic unit mented in biology courses for stu- In the first part of the activity, stu- and to build a table similar to dents aged between 14 and 18 years dents should use enquiry-based think- table 1 to summarise the main old, however you can also adapt it for ing to learn about the research project morphological differences other groups. It explores themes such and its methodology. between the two types of death: as cell division, cell death, genetic w1 1) Watch the video ‘Socientize: Cell cell volume differences, nucleus regulation, cancer and biotechnology. Images Experiment’ to place the condensation and final ­reaction. The activity is divided into two parts: activity into the right context. b) Watch the three short clips 2) Go through the didactic unitw2 and A) Explore the Cell Spotting research showing HeLa cells in different find the answers to the following project and understand its context, states (healthy, in apoptosis, questions: and in necrosis) from the teacher’s B) Play with the Cell Spotting applica- a) What is José Villar doing in his package. Ask students to iden- tion. research? tify which cell state is repre- b) What type of cells is he using? sented in each short clip based Materials c) What methodology is he using on the morphological differ- The resources available for this activ- to observe the cells? ences. d) What results can he expect ity are: Now your students are ready to help w1 from different chemical com- · a video that puts the Cell Spotting José identify HeLa cell images! pounds? research project into context B) Play with the Cell Spotting e) What type of cell death does · a didactic unitw2 that provides a ­application. José Villar want to induce in potential lesson plan and activities w4 cells? Why? The Cell Spotting application allows to do with students you and your students to analyse · a teacher’s packagew3 that contains At this stage, it may be useful to build HeLa cell images and send your a detailed document about the a simple diagram like the one shown analysis to the research team. The research, a PowerPoint presentation in figure 2: application interface is very intui- and three short clips about HeLa 3) Show your students how to dif- tive, user-friendly and self-contained, cells. ferentiate between apoptosis and so everybody can easily access and

What is being tested?

> 14 000 chemical compounds In what?

Live Cells Image courtesy of SOCIENTIZE HeLa Cells What to expect? (cancer cells) How many types? Dead cells Apoptosis

Necrosis

Figure 2. Example of a diagram to explore the Cell Spotting experiment

48 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Teach

Image courtesy of SOCIENTIZE

Apoptosis Necrosis Biology Table 1. Example of a Cell volume Decrease Increase table summarising the main morphological differences Cell nucleus Fragmentation after condensation Volume increase between apoptosis and necrosis Content release No (formation of apoptotic bodies) Yes

Inflammatory response No Yes

contribute. When you access the ap- plication for the first time, we recom- mend that you follow the tutorial that explains its structure, objectives and resources. This will ensure that you have all the necessary details before you log in and start spotting and tag- ging cells with specific stamps. To complete each task, you need to analyse the same image according to four parameters: · Current cell status (dead or alive) · Cell content release (whether the cell releases material or not) · Mitochondria distribution (whether the mitochondria are clustered or Bortoletto Image courtesy of Juliana scattered inside the cell) · Other remarks (e.g. multinucle- ated cell, abnormal sized cells and nuclei) 1) Ask your students to log in the application and register so their contributions do not remain anonymous. 2) Explore the application with your students and define exactly what they should do. If you have a pro- jector, this can easily be achieved by doing a cell image analysis together while projecting it on a wall. In a nutshell, the application in- cludes: · the blue bar (see A on the image) on the top, which summarises what you need to do and the resources to achieve that task, including: Figure 3. Representation of cell death: apoptosis and necrosis www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 49 Image courtesy of SOCIENTIZE

Representation of cell death: apoptosis and necrosis

Figure 4. Cell Spotting application

· the specific question that you The image awaiting analysis is in box can finish the task. After that, a new need to answer B (in figure 4). Below it you can find image will automatically appear and · the three different light the various stamps to tag the cells you can start the analysis all over. channels that you can use to and identify their state (see point 8 on NOTE: A guide to get started with visualise specific details on the Fig. 4). You can also remove the tags Cell Spotting is available in the image: blue to visualise the individually (see point 10 on Fig. 4) teacher’s package. The analysis is very nucleus; green to view mito- or start over (see point 11 on Fig. 4). simple and your students will prob- chondria; and normal, which If you are not sure how to classify the ably do it easily. is a result of the blue, green cells, you can use a specific tag with 3) Let your students play with the and bright white field images a question mark (see point 9 on Fig. 4). programme and contribute freely. merged Box C provides you with a set of Let them know that they can also · the video from which each im- examples of the patterns that need to log in from home. age was extracted be identified. · additional information on each Finally, below the image for analysis, step you will find a progress bar with the four parameters that you need to com- · access to Vish, the Virtual plete for each task (see box D in figure Science Hub, an educational 4). Every time you finish analysing a platform where you can virtually parameter, you must click on the ar- visit the lab where Cell Spotting row to the right of the progress bar so takes place you can move to the next parameter. · a feedback survey When the four parameters have been · a direct link to the didactic unit analysed, an icon will appear so you

50 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org Biology Primary 51

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m I project Socientize from its official official its Socientize from project . You website: www.socientize.eu citizen science will also find other that you can get involved projects in. by Socientize, promoted projects the website of consult the official www.ibercivis.com project: Ibercivis see: activity, Communication and Public Engage- ment team (2010) Can you spot a cancer mutation? Science in School 16: 39–44. www.scienceinschool. org/2010/issue16/cancer nce in School Science in School Resources about the EU-funded Find out more of citizen science keep track To teaching For another cancer-related - the Cell Spotting activity: the Cell Spotting activity: - in English: www.ibercivis. net/?p=6985 - in Spanish: www.ibercivis. net/?p=6987 - in Portuguese: www.ibercivis. net/?p=6989 contains a de- Cell Spotting activity tailed document about the research, the Cell Spotting guide, a version of the didactic unit with solutions, and health short videos of different three down can You states of Hela cells. load it here: - in English: http://bit.do/ ibercivis_teacherspackage - in Portuguese: www.ibercivis. net/?p=6993 application and start playing, visit the Socientize website: https:// pybossa.socientize.eu/pybossa/ app/cellspotting/ w2 – Download the didactic unit for the didactic w2 – Download package for the w3 – The teachers’ access the Cell Spotting w4 – To - Images Experiment’ video on channel: YouTube Ciencia’s Ibercivis - in English: http://youtu.be/ XXegth8CmM4 - in Portuguese: http://youtu.be/ OGTITEp-ybI Martínez P, Sanz F, Val C (2013a) Val Sanz F, Martínez P, as a Case of Analysis Cell Images Advanced Edu Citizen Science for cation: Laboratory and School, Back cation: Laboratory of the 7th and Forth. In Proceedings Education International Technology, (INTED and Development Conference Spain: 2013) pp 2489–2496. Valencia, IATED C (2013b) Val Sanz F, Martínez P, for case of Citizen Science A Analysis. In Cell Biology Images of the XXXIII Congresso Proceedings da Sociedade Brasileira de Computação (CSBC 2013) pp 1855–1862. Maceió, Brazil: CSBC Students working on Students working a class assignment in the computer lab

w1 – Watch the ‘Socientize: Cell the ‘Socientize: w1 – Watch Web references Web Lostal E, Serrano F, Carrodeguas JA, Carrodeguas Lostal E, Serrano F, References Lostal E, Serrano F, Carrodeguas JA, Carrodeguas Lostal E, Serrano F, einschool.org www.scienc Image courtesy of By GerryShaw/Wikimedia

socientize.eu. Her current scientific HeLa cells grown in tissue interests focus on machine learning, culture. Red: cytoskeleton; António Monteiro is a biologist with data mining, drug discovery, citizen green: nucleus an MSc in biology and geology teach- science, e-science, volunteer comput- ing. He is actively involved in the ing and data warehousing. citizen science FP7 project ‘Socientize José Carrodeguas Villar, PhD, is a – Society as e-Infrastructure through researcher at the Institute for Bio- technology, innovation and creativ- computation and Physics of Complex ity’. He has worked for the Science Systems (BIFI) at the University of Museum of the University of Coimbra Zaragoza in Spain. He leads a research in Portugal since 2009 as an exhibi- group focused on the study of apop- tion guide and education developer tosis in cancer, the immune system, of science activities, mainly for the nervous system and other systems. Researchers Night. He is also involved He is also the principal researcher of in promoting the museum via social the Cell Spotting experiment and is media. actively involved with citizen science Cândida G Silva holds a degree in projects and activities at Socientize mathematics and computer sciences and Ibercivis. and a PhD in chemoinformatics. Dur- This is an activity proposed by ing the past four years, she has been Socientize, a project funded by the an active collaborator of two citizen European Union Seventh Framework science and volunteer computing Programme under contract RI-312902. projects: ibercivis.net and

52 I Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 www.scienceinschool.org

· Care is taken with normal laboratory Publisher: EIROforum, EIROforum ­operations such as heating Science topics www.eiroforum.org Science in School is published and funded by · Good laboratory practice is observed when EIROforum, a collaboration between eight of Editor-in-chief : Dr Eleanor Hayes chemicals or living organisms are used ­Europe’s largest inter-governmental scientific re- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, · Eye protection is worn whenever there is search ­organisations, which combines the resources, facilities and expertise of its member organisations Germany any recognised risk to the eyes to support European science in reaching its full Co-editors: Isabelle Kling and Laura Howes, · Pupils and / or students are taught safe potential. See: www.eiroforum.org European Molecular Biology Laboratory, techniques for activities such as handling CERN Germany living organisms, hazardous materials and The European Organization for Nuclear Research equipment. 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Read- in School. national experiments in Germany, Switzerland, and ers should be aware, however, that errors and the United Kingdom complement the experimental omissions can be made, and safety standards 2) Attribution Non-commercial programme. The aim is to realise fusion electricity by vary across Europe and even within individual 2050. No Derivatives (by-nc-nd) countries. European XFEL Therefore, before undertaking any activity, The European XFEL is a research facility currently under construction in the Hamburg area of Germany. readers should always carry out their own This licence is often called the ’free advertis- risk assessment. In particular, any local rules It will generate extremely intense X-ray flashes to ing’ licence because it allows you to download be used by researchers from all over the world. See: issued by employers or education authorities the author’s works and share them with others www.xfel.eu MUST be obeyed, whatever is suggested in the as long as you mention and link back to the ­Science in School articles. ILL author, but you cannot change them in any The Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) is an international Unless the context dictates otherwise, it is as- way or use them ­commercially. research centre operating the most intense steady sumed that: For further details, see: neutron source in the world. Every year, more than · Practical work is carried out in a properly http://creativecommons.org 800 experiments are performed by about 2000 scientists coming from all over the world. Research equipped and maintained science laboratory­ All articles in Science in School carry the focuses on science in a variety of fields: condensed · Any electrical equipment is properly relevant copyright logos or other copyright matter physics, chemistry, biology, nuclear physics ­maintained notice. and materials science. See: www.ill.eu www.scienceinschool.org Science in School I Issue 31 : Spring 2015 I 53 How many schools Spring 2015 Issue 31 and teachers do you reach – worldwide? In this issue: The challenging logistics of lunar exploration Also:

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