March 2023 - Lawsuits for chloroprene emissions. LINK. (ToK)

Thoughts:
  • What is the role of government and independent agencies in monitoring scientific research and chemical production?
  • Who should be responsible for the negative impacts of scientific development?

February 2023 - Toxic spill and burn in Ohio. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  • What might be some of the impacts of a toxic chemical accident like this?
  • Can you think of other chemical-related accidents that have had a significant impact on local communities?

September 2022 - The 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
Alfred Nobel assigned one of his prizes "to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement".
  • What criteria might we use to judge the most important discovery or improvement?
  • What role might awards play in academic disciplines?

March 2022 - Suspected poisoning of Chelsea football club owner. LINK. (ToK)

Thoughts:
  • To what extent are scientists responsible for the applications of their findings?
  • Can you think of other examples where science and scientific knowledge has been used for ethically questionable purposes? e.g. the development of the atomic bomb.

February 2022 - 2D polymers. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  • How do scientific developments impact society?
  • What domains of society are impacted e.g. politics, economics, environmental, social or cultural?

February 2022 - Where did the oil go? LINK. (​NoC)

Thoughts:
  • How do we ask good questions in science?
  • How do observations lead to the development of scientific knowledge?

October 2021 - Chemistry and history. LINK. (ToK​)

Thoughts:
  • Can you think of examples where a historian/archaeologist might benefit from scientific knowledge?

September 2020 - Simplicity in science. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  • ​Do all scientific discoveries have to be complex?

August 2021 - A harder substance than diamond? LINK. (4.3)

Thoughts​:
  • What might be some of the applications of this glass?

April 2021 - Measuring the acidity of an individual OH group. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  • Is new technology the main factor in producing new scientific knowledge?
  • In what sense does an atomic force microscope allow us to 'see' individual atoms? (How do they work?)

February 2021 - First measurements of Einsteinium. LINK. (​NoC)

Thoughts:
  • ​Why might it be so difficult to investigate the heavy and superheavy metal elements?
  • Why might scientists want to investigate little known elements even though it is extremely difficult and expensive?

February 2021 - Modelling a pandemic. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  • Click the link to consider how we might complex systems such the spread of a virus.
  • Can scientific models be 100% accurate?

January 2021 - Chilli pepper in solar panels. LINK. 

Thoughts:
  • What does this demonstrate about the importance of creative thinking in science?

January 2021 - A new state of matter? LINK. (2.1 and ToK​)

Thoughts:
  • What are the other established states of matter?
  • ​Who decides on the definitions for states of matter?
  • How many states of matter might there be?

October 2020 - First two women to share the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. LINK. (NoS)

Thoughts:
  • Which factors may have historically limited the contribution of women to formal science?

October 2020 - How much would you pay for Newton's work? LINK.

Thoughts:
  • What are the criteria to be a genius?
  • What are the qualities of a great scientist? 

August 2o2o - Coca Cola and baking soda (6.1)
Thoughts:
  • Hmm...

July 2020 - BBC: What diet advice should you believe? LINK. (NoS)

Thoughts:
  • What general rules might we follow when engaging with scientific advice online?
  • How might social media be influencing our consumption of science online?

July 2020 - The importance of precise language in science. LINK. (​NoC)

Thoughts:
  • ​What issues might arise from the presentation of science in media and social media?

June 2020 - Diversity is harmful in chemistry??? LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  • In what ways might diversity be beneficial to scientific progress?
  • This article has been since been removed from the journal. What does this suggest about the role of humans in the peer-review process?
  • What kind of conversations about meritocracy vs inclusive practices be important?

June 2020 - Who's data can we trust? LINK. (TOK)

Thoughts:
  • ​Who holds the responsibility in this example: A government, the WHO, scientific journals, the company?
  • What role should the peer review process play in an example such as this? 

May 2o2o - Reorganised 26th UN Climate Change Conference. Link. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  • Why might international conventions be important?
  • What might some of the challenges be?
  • Do all nations have a responsibility to collaborate?

May 2020 - How reliable is scientific data? Link. (TOK)

Thoughts:
  • ​Why does the Foreign Secretary of UK suggest that comparing 'official' figures may not be reliable at the stage?
  • Is scientific data always completely objective?


Link for image

April 2020 - Public communication of science. LINK. (NoC)
Thoughts:
  • ​Who is responsible for the communication of science to laypeople?
  • What are the consequences of nonscientists taking responsibility?
  • How might bias influence the communication of science?

April 2020 - International collaboration. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  • What benefits does international collaboration have during a pandemic?
  • What limitations might there be?
  • What about negative consequences?

April 2020 - COVID-19 and anti-vaxxers. LINK. (Opt D)

Thoughts:
  • ​What impact is the COVID-19 pandemic having on the anti-VAX community?
  • Why was the anti-VAX movement listed on the World Health Organisation's 10 threats to global health​ list in 2019?

April 2020 - The race to produce for a vaccine for COVID-19. LINK. (Opt D)

Thoughts:
  • Even with the enormous injections of money and time into developing a vaccine, why is it still very unlikely to take less than 18 months?
  • What ethical questions might we ask given that the normal length of time to produce a drug is about 12 years?

April 2020 - "All models are wrong, but some are useful". LINK. 

Thoughts: Scientific knowledge in terms of understanding the COVID-19 virus and also human behaviour is crucial in dealing with a pandemic. In particular, this period of time has seen the use of many models (representations of reality) in the form of graphs.
  • How does we make these models?
  • Is the data used 100% reliable? Why/why not?
  • Are they likely to be 100% accurate in making predictions?

March 2020 - Big tech and science. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  • What is the difference between science and technology?
  • How can each one impact the other?
  • Is it always a positive relationship?

February 2020 - Dry ice deaths. LINK. (1.1​)

Thoughts:
  • What scientific knowledge might have prevented this event?

February 2020 - Politics, science and vaping. LINK. (NoC​)

Thoughts:
  • What role might politics play in influencing the presentation of scientific knowledge?

February 2020 - World's largest firework. LINK. (​TOK)
Thoughts:
  • ​Are there any ethical considerations related to the development and use fireworks?

January 2020 - Media and public understanding. LINK. (NoC​)

Thoughts:
  • What influence can language in the media have on the public understanding of science?
  • How might we clarify 'worse' in this example?

January 2020 - How much evidence is 'enough'? LINK. (NoC​)

Thoughts:
  • At what point do we have 'enough' evidence to be confident ?

January 2020 - Integrity in chemistry. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  1. Which feature of the scientific method led to Dr Arnold retracting her paper?
  2. Why might this be considered a significant action for Dr Arnold?
​

December 2019 - World record elephant's toothpaste. (A.3)
Thoughts:
  1. Which dependent variables could you use in a catalysis investigation on this scale?

November 2019 - Nanocages in the production of hydrogen. LINK. (19.1)

Thoughts:
  1. What does this article suggest about the importance of nanomaterial research?
  2. Apart from the application of nanomaterials, what other considerations must scientists make when developing new materials?

November 2019 - Public interpretation of vaping data. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  1. Should scientists be responsible for ensuring their findings are easy to interpret for the public?
  2. To what extent is it possible to influence public interpretation of scientific data?

November 2019 - Sustainable toilet coating. LINK. (NoC)
Thoughts:
  1. Although this product may reduce water required to flush, can you suggest other things that chemists might need to consider before claiming this is a sustainable product?

October 2019 - An even backer black. LINK. (4.3)

Thoughts:
  1. What kind of applications might be useful for a very black material?
  2. Is it always important to have an intended use before you develop new material?

October 2019 - Nobel Prize In Chemistry 2019. LINK. (9.2)

Thoughts:
  1. How many objects can you name that rely on a lithium ion battery to function?
  2. Which scientists were the first to develop batteries?
  3. Would they have predicted the importance of their discovery?

September 2019 - Salt identification and history. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  1. What role might chemistry play in history?
  2. Can you think of any other examples where chemists have had a role supporting historians?

July 2019 - Miss Virginia 2019 and elephant's toothpaste. LINK. (NoC)

Thoughts:
  1. ​What common preconceptions might people in your context have about scientists?
  2. What problems might arise from these preconceptions?
  3. How might this demonstration in the Miss Virginia 2019 contest impact these preconceptions?

June 2019 - Could you identify the ion responsible? LINK. (9.1)

Thoughts:
  1. How might you experimentally measure the concentration of the permanganate ion causing this pink/purple colour?

May 2019 - Circular plastics. LINK. (A.7)

Thoughts:
  1. Who is responsible for the current global plastics issues?
  2. Could these issues have been predicted?

April 2019 - Breaking bad teacher in real life. LINK. (D)

Thoughts:
1. Although the teacher claimed that asking the students to synthesise ecstasy was for educational benefits, what ethical arguments could be used to counter this?

March 2019 - Second person in history cured of HIV. LINK. (D.5)
Thoughts:
​1. What are the implications for other people who are HIV positive?
2. What might this do for ethical arguments against human stem cell research?

February 2019 - Drug administration inspired by tortoises. LINK. (D.1)
Thoughts:
  1. Is this better defined as oral or parenteral drug administration?
  2. How has an understanding of nature helped the development of medicine in this case?
  3. Can you find other examples where scientific progress has been helped by an understanding of the natural world?

January 2019 - The dangers of unblocking toilets! LINK. (9.1)

Thoughts:
  1. What was the unintended yellow/green gas produced?
  2. What are the hazards of this gas?

January 2019 - The Year of The Periodic Table. LINK. (3.1​)

Thoughts:
  1. Why has the periodic table been so influential in chemistry?
  2. How many uses can you describe for it?
  3. Why was its 'invention' so genius? YouTube.

December 2019 - Fentanyl agreement at G20 summit. LINK. (D.3)

Thoughts:
  1. Fentanyl is 50 times as potent as heroin. What problems might this cause?
  2. Even suppliers on the dark web are deciding to stop its sale - LINK. What does this say about the nature of the drug?

November 2019 - Ionic wind powered plane. LINK. (4.3)

Thoughts:
  1. What might the environmental implications of this technology be?

Worth a listen - 'Orphan drugs' on 99% Invisible podcast. LINK. (D.1)

Thoughts:
1. What responsibility do pharmaceutical corporations have to develop medicines for rare diseases?
2. Should the government be able to tell these companies what to do?
​3. Should profit or care come first in business?

November 2019 - The kilogram is changing! LINK. (1.2 and TOK)

Thoughts:
1. What might be the impact of changing the definition of the kilogram?
2. What does it indicates about the relationship between technology and improving accuracy in the natural sciences?

October 2019 - Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work with proteins. LINK. (B.2/7)

Thoughts:
.1. What might a prize in this research area suggest about the importance of interdisciplinary research in the science? See NOS statement 4.3.

September 2018 - Novartis drops antibiotics research. LINK. (D.6​)

Thoughts:
  1. How might antibiotic resistance link the 4th largest pharmaceutical company in the world stopping its research into antibiotics?  Hint​: difficulty, cost...

September 2018 - Be=Be double bonds might be possible. LINK. (4.2)

Thoughts:
  1. Why are s-block metals the least likely to form covalent bonds? Hint: electronegativity.
  2. Why would Be be the most likely s-block metal to form covalent bonds? Hint: electronegativity.

September 2018  - Pacific garbage patch cleanup to begin. LINK. (​A.7)

Thoughts:
  1. Is this a scientific solution or a technological solution?
  2. Is there a difference between science and technology?
  3. Which came first?

August 2018 - New allotrope of carbon discovered. LINK. (​4.4)

Thoughts:
  1. Should we bother trying to create new structures with carbon if we don't currently predict any uses for them?

July 2018 - 1,500 year low in Baltic Sea oxygen levels. LINK. (9.1)

Thoughts:
  • How might this problem link to eating meat? Hint: eutrophication.
  • How do we test for dissolved oxygen levels?

July 2018 - 11 babies die during Viagra-like trial for women. LINK. (D.1​)

 April 2018 - Hypercarbons. LINK. (​4.1)

April 2018 - Researchers create a plastic-degrading enzyme. LINK. (​A.7)

April 2018 - Increasing levels of medicinal waste in waterways. LINK. (D)

April 2018 - Carbon monoxide leak kills 2 people. LINK. (4.3​)

March 2018 - New electrolyte for voltaic cells in low T. LINK. (19.1)

March 2018 - Superconducting graphene. LINK. (A.6​)

March 2018 - Fighting pseudoscience. LINK. (TOK)

March 2018 - 65% global increase in antibiotic use. LINK. (D.2)

February 2018 - Xanax - the UK's new addiction. LINK. (D.1)

January 2018 - Heroin's impact on global politics. LINK. (D.4)

January 2018 - Proton beam therapy available in the UK. LINK. (D.8)

December 2017 - Another graphene based material - Diamene. LINK. (4.3)

December 2017 - World AIDS Day. LINK. (D.5)

November 2017 - The darkest material on Earth. LINK. (A.1/4.3)

November 2017 - Nuclear accident in Russia? LINK. (C.3 and C.7)

November 2017 - Heroin problems in Afghanistan. LINK. (D.3)

November 2017 - World Antibiotic Awareness Week. LINK. (D2)

October 2017 - Ruthenium-106 radioisotopes found across Europe. LINK. (C.7)

October 2017 - Where does gold come from? LINK. (2.1)

October 2017 - Nobel Prize for biomolecule structure work. LINK. (B)

September 2017 - First human head transplant delayed. LINK. (D.1)

September 2017 - World's first 'chemical surgery' on DNA. LINK. (B.8)

September 2017 - Congratulations Volkswagon! [sarcastic].  LINK. (All)

September 2017 - The problems with gold. LINK. (​13.1)

September 2017 - Volcanic deaths from superheated sulfuric acid. LINK. (8.1)

September 2017 - 250 m 'fatberg' found in London sewer. LINK. (B.3)

September 2017 - Plastic now pervasive in the environment. LINK.  (A.7​)

August 2017 - Pakistan's arsenic problem. LINK. (3.1)

August 2017 - Alcohols the key to 'unmeltable' ice cream. LINK. (10.1)

August 2017 - Climate change '2nd greatest global security threat'. LINK. (C.5)

July 2017 - The follow-up film to 'An Inconvenient Truth'. (NoC 5.1)

June 2017 - A new graphene based allotrope of carbon. LINK. VIDEO. (4.3)

June 2017 - Crayola are making that 'new blue' crayon. LINK. (B.9)

June 2017 - How might we react to antibiotic resistance? LINK. (D.6)

June 2017 - A greener synthesis of ammonia. LINK. (7.1)

June 2017 - Elon Musk quits as White House advisor. LINK. (C.5)

June 2017 - Trump withdraws from Paris Agreement. LINK. (C.5)

May 2017 - Pope Francis and Trump discuss the environment. LINK. (NoC 4.2)

May 2017 - Measuring the electronegativity of a single atom. LINK. (3.2)

May 2017 - The most polluted island in the world...is uninhabited. LINK. (A.7)

April 2017 - How might hydroxyl radicals affect global warming?. LINK. (C.5)

March 2017 - Another potentially significant use for graphene. LINK. (A.6)

March 2017 - Pink tap water in Canada. LINK. (Topic 9.1)

March 2017 - The inauguration of the new elements. (1.1​)

February 2017 - What is VX gas? LINK. (10.1)

February 2017 - A sodium/helium compound? LINK. (4.1/4.2)

January 2017 - Can he silence science? LINK. (NoC 4.2)

("Trump Administration Orders Communications Blackout For US Scientists")

January 2017 - Carbon dioxide to baking powder. LINK. (​8.5​)

(Condliffe)

December 2016 - The official naming begins... LINK. (1.1)

November 2016 - America's new heroin addicts. (D.3)

​("Element 117 Has Officially Been Named 'Tennessine'")

October 2016 - Serendipitous conversion of CO2 to ethanol. LINK. (C.2)

October 2016 - Three new Nobel Prize winners. LINK. (A.6)

October 2016 - New Leonardo DiCaprio climate change documentary. LINK. (C.1)

September 2016 - Developing silver nanoparticles. LINK. (A.6)

("Researchers Create Record-Breaking Silver Nanoparticles")

September 2016 - Lack of evidence for antibacterial soap claims. LINK. (NoC 3.1)

("Are Antibacterial Soaps Bad For You? (Trailer)")

September 2016 - Ni/Cu chemical spill in Russian Arctic. LINK. (Topic 13.1)

September 2016 - The dangers of chlorine. LINK. (Topic 3.3)

("Syria Conflict: Government Helicopters 'Drop Chlorine' On Aleppo - BBC News")
​

August 2016 - Charging for plastic bags leads to huge drop in use. LINK. (Topic 10.2)

("Plastic Bags")

July 2016 - Titanium/gold alloys, the future of hip replacements? LINK. (Topic 4.5)

("Hip Replacement")

July 2016 - Accidental discovery of a new blue colour in 2009. LINK. (Topic B.9)

(Upload.wikimedia.org, 2016)

June 2016 - A self-pouring polymer - polyethylene oxide. LINK. (Topic 10.2)

June 2016 - Large Helium deposits discovered in Tanzania. LINK. (Topic 4.3)

June 2016 - Chiral molecules found in interstellar space. LINK. (Topic 20.3)

June 2016 - Successful conversion of plastic to fuel. LINK. (Topic 10.2)

June 2016 - The proposed names for the 4 new elements. LINK. (Topic 1.1)

June 2016 - Turning CO2 into stone? LINK. (Topic C.5)

Image - (Inc., 2016)

March 2016 - Bill Gates´ thought on clean energy. LINK. (Topic C.1)

Feb 2016 - Manipulating hydrocarbon crystals. LINK. (Topic 1.1)

Jan 2016 - Is diamond the hardest substance we know of? LINK. (Topic 4.3)

Jan 2016 - London exceeds yearly NO2 emissions limit...after 7 days. LINK. (Topic 8.5 and 14.1)

Jan 2016 - Phase 1 clinical trial disaster in France. LINK. (Option D.1)

Jan 2016 - The addition of 4 new elements to the periodic table. LINK. ​(Topic 1.1)

Jan 2016 - Metallic hydrogen? LINK. ​(Topic 4.2 and 4.5)

References

​"Are Antibacterial Soaps Bad For You? (Trailer)". YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.
Condliffe, Jamie. "In India, A New Carbon Capture Scheme Turns CO2 Into Baking Soda". MIT Technology Review. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Jan. 2017.
"Element 117 Has Officially Been Named 'Tennessine'". IFLScience. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Dec. 2016.
"Hip Replacement". Wikipedia. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
Inc., P. (2016). These scientists have turned CO2 gas into stone. The Weather Network. Retrieved 16 June 2016, from https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/these-scientists-have-turned-co2-gas-into-stone/68870
"Plastic Bags". S0.geograph.org.uk. N.p., 2016. Web. 7 Aug. 2016.
"Researchers Create Record-Breaking Silver Nanoparticles | Chemistry, Nanotechnologies | Sci-News.Com". Breaking Science News | Sci-News.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Oct. 2016.
"Syria Conflict: Government Helicopters 'Drop Chlorine' On Aleppo - BBC News". BBC News. N.p., 2016. Web. 7 Sept. 2016.
"Trump Administration Orders Communications Blackout For US Scientists". IFLScience. N.p., 2017. Web. 29 Jan. 2017.
Upload.wikimedia.org. (2016). New blue pigment. [online] Available at: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Ultramarinepigment.jpg [Accessed 7 Jul. 2016].
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