Scientifique
Issue 2, Summer 2016
The National Physical Laboratory comes to King Edward’s
Our new laboratory activity group
Oxbridge professors inspire our students page 1
WELCOME TO SCIENTIFIQUE Issue 2, summer 2016
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elcome to the second edition of “Scientifique”! It has been another excellent year for Science at King Edward’s and this magazine gives a small taste of the wide array of enhancement activities run by the Science Department. As part of our vision to make scientists, we have run a wide variety of Café Scientifique events to broaden our pupils’ understanding of the diverse careers available in Science, ranging from the conservation work in the Atlantic Rain Forests of Brazil to the high tech world of the National Physics Laboratory. With more pupils than ever taking science courses in the Sixth Form with the ambition to continue into STEM careers and Medicine, we are always on the look out for speakers who have careers in Science, so if you fit the bill, please contact me to arrange a slot! (hillae@kesw.org) In February we held a Science Symposium, inviting guest speakers from both Oxford and Cambridge to speak to us about the power of stem cells and to enter into debate with our pupils about the ethics and limitations of this science. Our 4th and 5th form pupils were impressively engaged and made the most of this excellent opportunity. Across the year groups we have encouraged pupils to test themselves against local and national teams. We have had prize winners in the TeenTech competition, heat winners in the SATRO challenge and medal winners in the British Biology Olympiad. The teachers and technicians did not rest as they drove mini buses and lead groups on over a dozen trips, from Brooklands Motor Museum to the Millennium Seed Bank. We are truly lucky to have such a dedicated team of teachers and were delighted to welcome Mrs Marilena Pevreall (Head of Biology), Mr Ben Cochrane (Physics) and Mrs Alison Hill (Biology technician) to our staff this year. They have brought considerable expertise to the department including scuba diving, liquid Nitrogen and horticultural knowledge. In the Autumn we will be welcoming Dr Philip Attwell (Biology) as the Science Department continues to expand. Meanwhile, in the day-to-day activities of the Science School, the mouldy bread continues to horrify, the mesocosms unexpectedly thrive , Juliet the 35 year old African Clawed Frog is mourned, the physicists continue to make appalling noises and the chemists made some soap.
Inside this issue: Science in Action
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TeenTech
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Cool Physics
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Intech, Winchester
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Scuba Diving
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James Dinsmore
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Biology Field Work
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Natural History Museum
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Café Scientifique Laboratory
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Herstmonceux Observatory
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Biology in Action
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Marwell Zoo
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Atlantic Rain Forests
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Size Matters
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Chemistry in Action
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Science Symposium
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Group 4 Project
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Top of the Bench
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Bubble, Bubble
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Periodic Success
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Our Vision •To develop curiosity in and passion for Science •To empower more of our pupils to continue in Science at university •To educate our young people to judge the quality of the scientific information they encounter •To combat bad science •To show how science can help humanity tackle its greatest challenges
Ann Hill, Head of Science
•To make scientists page 2
SCIENCE IN ACTION INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS FOR GCSE STUDENTS
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r Jamie Gallagher: “The Luck, Genius and Accidents Leading to Great Scientific Discoveries”
Dr Jamie Gallagher’s talk on the Periodic Table took the audience back to the beginning of time when just two elements (Hydrogen and Helium) existed, before progressing to explore more recently discovered elements. In all elements, Dr. Gallagher pointed out that since electrons are so small and fast, we can only guess where they orbit around atoms using “electron orbital diagrams”. Several elements in particular were mentioned. The first of these was aluminium which was priceless during the reign of Napoleon. Polonium (discovered by Marie Curie), was named in honour of her native country Poland.
longest but most entertaining of all. Dr Dunne’s fluid presentational skills turned the lecture into a comedy night!! The first point he presented was that magic is simply bending the laws of Physics. He demonstrated this by apparently breaking and re-assembling a rope. After he had distracted the audience, he cut off the end of the rope. Next, Dr Dunne created sound through the use of a saw. By twisting and releasing it in different ways, he created different sounds. He did the same thing with a threonine (originally designed as a proximity detector). Some sounds were just excruciating to listen to. Finally, a van der Graaf Generator demonstrated that it is electrical current and not voltage that is fatal. Using attraction and repulsion of protons and neutrons, he played about with a model squid, “stunt Barbie” and a toy snake. Amongst all this, Dr Dunne pelted us with fragrant air from a vortex gun, and hypnotised the audience with rotating optical illusions, causing a blurry image to form in their brain. Not only were we given give a front row view of Physics, but also a world of fun. Scientists can be comedians too!! Remi Trovo Fifth Form
Tellurium is an element that prevented gold prospectors in Australia from discovering gold, as it is the only element that can react with it. It was discovered in Romania, home to Count Von Dracula!! (It also smells of garlic). Antimony (called “the ever-lasting laxative” as excreted pills of Antimony were constantly re-used by the same family), was the final element with a gruesome history. Furthermore, it sits in an area of the Periodic Table called “The Poisoners’ Corner”. This talk brought the everyday uses of all kinds of elements to our attention. This was a highly informative talk that pushed the Periodic Table into a spiralling world of history. Dr Ian Dunne: “Fantastic Physics, Do-science!” This talk on Magic, Sound and Static Electricity was the page 3
TEENTECH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CHALLENGE
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n Wednesday 11th of November, ten 2nd Form pupils made their way over to Surrey Sports Park. We were part of a science event called Teen Tech. The event was hosted and organised by Maggie Philbin. We did many activities and even won some amazing prizes! During the day we created a dome out of knots, bolts, and small/large poles. We learnt a lot about liquid nitrogen (and even tried liquid nitrogen ice cream!) and even won the quiz we entered. We looked at all the hackers around the world, and even won earphones from JVC! Overall the day was a blast, and we came back after winning three awards. Thank you to Emma and Miss Duncan for coming with us! Claire Mellor Second Form
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hen I arrived, I didn't know what to expect. When we sat down there were many other schools which made me quite anxious. After that the former presenter from Tomorrow's World came up to talk to us about Teen Tech and how it prepares us for the future. She told us that if we had an idea for an invention that we should write it on the wall to be judged and we won a ÂŁ20 iTunes voucher! For our first workshop we learned about liquid nitrogen. Nitrogen is a gas that makes up 78% of the air we breathe, oxygen is 20% and the remaining 2% is other gases. They showed us loads of cool things, like how it can freeze things almost instantly and what would happen if you were to place your hand in it (don't worry they demonstrated this with a sausage!). They told us how they could manipulate it to their advantage in their daily jobs. The second workshop we went to was run by mechanical engineers from a company called Atkins. They had a series of long and shorter poles in which we made a dome. At first it was quite confusing, figuring out what went with what and what went where, but after we got going everything just seemed to link together in a really easy way. By the end of it we had successfully created a dome made out of different size poles. After break we were confronted by an app creator. She wanted us as a team in our schools to create an app.
There would be certificates awarded to the best teams. We got together and brainstormed our ideas. Jacob came up with the great idea of having an app which allows you to decorate your room by just taking a picture. It would paste in photos from online furniture shops and you could order using our app. We'd be making money from the companies whose furniture we rec-
ommended. Kelly, Claire and I were set to do the pitch to everyone else. I was very afraid and worried that it might go wrong, but we had rehearsed it enough times to know what we were doing. When we got up there we were very confident and spoke with a lot of clarity. Once we finished that we went to view a company called BloodHound. They were in the process of building the world’s fastest car which is going to be tested on a track in South Africa in March 2017. They wanted to break the record by building a car that could go 1000Mph! They gave us some equipment to build a small car, which would be powered by an air rocket. We had to incorporate the rocket somewhere in our design, we only had five minutes. In the end we were able to build the basic structure but there were still many flaws in our design. The next place we went to was an I.T institute. They made robots with similar sensors to bats. They would send sound waves and if they bounce back go in another direction. On one of their computers they had a world map of all the hacks going on in the world at one time. It told us that Russia was the most targeted, then America, China and so on. The United Kingdom was the 13th on the list. They also were equipped with an electronic drum kit which made a sound depending at what angle it was hit at. As it was our last workshop we decided to go to the JVC kiosk. They asked us who had heard of them and only a few people put their hands up. He then ex-
plained to us that they create the most popular earphones. We had a chance to win some ourselves. He asked for two volunteers and my hand shot straight up, so did that of another girl, from another school. We were entered for a competition to see who could get a 100% smile into the camera. 3, 2, 1 we turned around and it was very close as she was at 92% when I reached 100%. As a reward for beating the other school, I was given a free pair of earphones. They also said we could win a karaoke box worth ÂŁ300, the same one as used on the X-factor. Once that was over we were told to go back to the main room, as the winners were going to be announced. Not all of the workshops we went to held a competition but some of them did. We had no idea that the first workshop we went to had held a competition for the most interested. But, to our surprise, they awarded us with a demonstration of liquid nitrogen at our school. So they will be coming in to school in the future to show us that. Next the presenters from BloodHound went up. They announced that we had won their competition as we worked best as a team. We were given an annual book about the new BloodHound car. We will surely be depositing that in the library for all to see. After that JVC stood up on stage holding the Boom box. It wasn't our school that won, but we were happy for those who did. The app designer came up again and said the winners in the different categories. There was the best cooperation, most creative and most sensible and best pitch. We won the best pitch. It was an extraordinary day and I recommend that second form do it next year. Thank you TeenTech for this amazing opportunity! Ella Anderson Second Form
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COOL PHYSICS EXPERIMENTS AT –183°C
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hat is the exact opposite of fire? This is a rather technical question, but for the sake of simplicity, let’s use liquid nitrogen, with a boiling point of -183oC, as a reasonable contender, capable of inflicting serious “burns”, but with fascinating applications. Mr Ben Cochrane, who joined the department this year invited his colleagues to join him in training to handle liquid nitrogen at the National Physical Laboratory. After this high level training, he collected 25 litres of the stuff, brought it to school in a spherical flask and proceeded to entertain the Physics students. The first application was the freezing of air within balloons. By inserting an inflated balloon into the liquid nitrogen and pouring more over it, the air condensed
within the balloon and a mysterious milky liquid appeared – liquid air. When the balloon returned to room temperature, it re-inflated and was back to normal. Extreme cooling has interesting effects, such as altering the bounce of squash balls and effective floor cleaning by gathering up all dust as rapidly boiling liquid nitrogen drops scamper around the floor. Mr Cochrane bravely demonstrated that pouring liquid nitrogen on his skin would not harm him as long as it didn’t “pool” , because the vapour resulting from his body temperature boiling the liquid, suspended it above his arm. The finale was to make instant ice cream. It was simply delicious – a concoction of double cream, Cadbury’s chocolate powder and liquid nitrogen – simply stir and serve.
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INTECH, WINCHESTER EXPLORING JUNIOR SCIENCE
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n the 14th March 2016, the 1st Form went on amazing trip to Winchester Intech and Planetarium. In the auditorium we had two interesting shows; one where we learnt about going into space and about van der Graaf generators. In the other show we flew through space looking at planets and learning about the Solar System.
Overall it was a very fun and exciting trip, especially flying into space! Edward Robinson First Form
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SCUBA DIVING PADI OPEN WATER DIVING COURSE AT KING EDWARD’S
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t the start of the academic year 2015-2016 we introduced PADI scuba diving courses as part of the Enrichment Programme at King Edward’s School. Scuba diving is truly a life changing experience! The certification to dive is a life-long certification and the key to unlocking incredible experiences and adventures. Aside from being great fun, it teaches important fundamentals such as responsibility for oneself and to others, problem solving, risk assessment and environmental awareness. It can be used as an accreditation for D of E and as a supplement to strengthen university and job applications. The PADI Open Water Diver Course is split into three sections: theory, confined water and open water dives. The confined water and the theory sections are collectively known as the open water referral course. Students study from the PADI open water manual independently and view the PADI DVD. During classroom sessions, material is reviewed and assessed by the instructor.
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The Confined training allows students to practice scuba skills and techniques in a pool environment and prepares them for the open water training. Maria-Eleni Pevreall
JAMES DINSMORE JAMES DINSMORE ANAESTHETIST AND CHAMPION WINDSURFER
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n 29th of September, consultant anaesthetist James Dinsmore, came to talk to Café Scientifique about his work as a consultant anaesthetist. Currently working at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, alongside 60 other consultant anaesthetists, he explained his own journey to becoming an anaesthetist, including his medical training, work in Australia and balancing work with his passion for windsurfing. Mr Dinsmore discussed many topics from the history of anaesthetics, up to modern developments, what they are and how they’re used. Moreover he outlined how to become a consultant, something really valuable to the group, many of whom were aspiring doctors. He began by stating that the word ‘anaesthetist’ came from Latin meaning ‘without sensation’ and the first use of anaesthetic was in 1846 in Massachusetts, by a Dr Walton who had used ether to anaesthetise a patient having a tumour removed. The use of local anaesthetics, such as cocaine, which prevent sensory nerve transmission, further advanced the field, and he contrasted this with the use of ultrasound to locate and numb nerves in the present day. Further detailing the current state of the anaesthetic field, we were made aware that it is the largest medical specialisation. The problems with general anaesthesia were also explored. They can affect the brain stem and cause issues with breathing, airways and blood pressure, therefore as an anaesthetist monitoring ‘ABC’ is vital – Airway, Breathing and Circulation. Additionally, there are a number of responsibilities that an anaesthetist has. Mr Dinsmore touched on these different areas. He explained roles in resuscitation and stabilisation in emergencies, work in intensive care and labour wards as well as their involvement in the transport of very ill people and the
administration of post-operative pain medicines and the likes of cancer pain management. Mr Dinsmore’s own story was very interesting and insightful especially for the aspiring medics. After undertaking a six year MBSC, he became a junior doctor involved in a variety of fields. His desire for excitement led him to go work in a hospital in Melbourne, he expressed to us his tendency to confront his fears by working hard to deal with things that scare him. This triggered his interests in both A&E and anaesthetics. Using a flowchart Mr Dinsmore illustrated his route to becoming a consultant, a position which can be tricky with regards to finding a place you are completely content with. Throughout the talk we were all deeply engaged by his explanation of the ever progressing and intriguing field. Mr Dinmore's visit was undeniably enjoyable, insightful and it was a pleasure for Café Scientifique to welcome him. Rudo Dube Upper Sixth
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BIOLOGY FIELD WORK ECOLOGY INVESTIGATION IN TILFORD AND THE RIVER WEY
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n Saturday 18th June, the Sixth Form biologists found themselves in the beautiful village of Tilford to work on assessing the health of the River Wey. After a moment’s hesitation, the Lower Sixth soon became sure-footed in the river, walking along the weir to find the best gravel banks to sample the abundant invertebrate life. We were delighted to find many examples of organisms only found in oxygen-rich water, indicating that the river is in good condition at Tilford. The results will be compared to last year’s data when we collate all the group results back at the lab. We will maintain an ongoing record over the future years to monitor any changes in this beautiful river. The weather was kind to us and it was a pleasant morning, gently dipping nets into the tranquil river. However, unbeknownst to us, there was a drama brewing. By the bridge, Mr and Mrs Swan were getting a little tired of their juvenile, so after a short and frank exchange of views (being mute swans, this involved definitive body language), the adults
chased the young one away. As a consequence of being the heaviest of British birds, swans need quite a lot of space as a runway and the juvenile headed straight towards the students on the weir as s/he hastily fled the scene. Dear Reader, as you may imagine, this caused considerable consternation upon the weir. Happily the only person directly in the flight path demonstrated commendable presence of mind. With a formidable display of athleticism, coupled with some interesting vocalisations, she sprinted along the weir thus escaping harm. (Note to self, include swan squabbles in next year’s risk assessment…) In the afternoon we headed to Thursley Common, a rare and beautiful heathland within sight of London. We familiarised ourselves with the common species and found three types of heather – Common Heather, Bell Heather and Cross-leaved Heath as well as healthy lichen growth. There was also an excellent display of Bog Cotton, various orchids and Sundew (the carnivorous bog plant). On the board walk, we saw lots of lizards and Leonardo found the complete shed skin of a snake entangled in some heather. Monday 20th June found us at Wakehurst Place, a branch of the Royal Botanical Gardens (Kew) in West Sussex. The weather wasn’t so kind but we still had a good day’s work, studying the process of succession in a coppiced area (one zone had been cut in 2003 and the other in 2013), despite the rain and mud. The resident botanist, Mike Reed, was a great enthusiast and had prepared the activities with great care, resulting in efficient and focussed work. The whole gar-
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den is a fine example of ex-situ conservation with living specimens from across the globe. We also had the opportunity to visit the seed bank. This climate controlled nuclear bunker holds one of the greatest repositories of biodiversity on the planet and is key in botanists’ attempts to mitigate the impact of humanities ever-expanding population on the flora of the planet. As a result of these two days, the Lower Sixth biologists have had an opportunity to practise the field skills necessary to cover the A level and IB ecology requirements and consider conservation in action with the bonus of visiting some beautiful sites in the South of England. Ann Hill
Marie-Elena Pevreall
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Junior Science a History M The 2nd Form went to the Natural History Museum. We had a great time and got involved with many activities. The first workshop was about adaptations, how animals use their features to help them to survive in their natural habitat and classification, a way to put species into groups. In 4th century BC a Greek philosopher called Aristotle found that there were two main groups: animals and plants. Along the years people have contradicted his theory and proved that there are more groups being discovered all the time. There are even organisms that live inside rocks but they haven't been classified in a group yet. Today at the museum we found how humans were classified. We first looked to see if we had a nucleus or if we didn't. As humans do, we are called Eukaryotes. Then they start to split up between plants, animals and fungi. We are animals. We then looked at other names and started breaking down from mammals to apes to Homo sapiens. We found out about evolution and I think this was a great activity as they used lots of examples of animals and videos were used. I think this is a valuable activity to do at the museum as everyone there learnt at least one thing new at this workshop.
Claire Mellor
On 19th May KES Second Form went Natural History Museum, a world fam museum in London with millions of e from the natural world.
We saw many specimens, as well as scientists working and animals. But m vourite thing there was the African t hill. I liked it because it was very tall they were growing their own food. T are some facts why I really liked this pictures to show you how good it wa plant eaters. Some of them eat youn Some of them grow their own fungu est). Fact number 2 they have a netw kingdom and this system lets them v have warm and cold air circulating. F amazing structure lays about 30,000 such an amazing ‘castle’, it is built on make many chambers for them to w the big tube at the top quickly, it sta light. Fact number 5 it is built only in clay. This why I really like them. The only thing I don’t like is how the queen looks. Matthew Hobbs
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at the Natural Museum
t to the mous exhibits
s some my fatermite and These s and as. Fact number 1: all termites are ng plants or attack young plants. us to eat (I find this one of the coolwork of holes around their massive ventilate the nest so that they Fact number 3 The queen of this 0 eggs a day. Fact number 4 for nly by the blind termites, they walk in. When they have finished arts baking in the heat of the sun-
Tapir On my very intriguing and thought provoking Science Biology trip to the Natural History Museum in South-west London, I encountered an unusually attractive and compelling specimen. This creature is called the Tapir. Its features make it seem like a hippo-anteater hybrid. This is quite an accurate assumption as it is a relative of the hippopotamus. These animals are quite big considering they are herbivores, their weight varies from 150kg - 200kg, males being a bit larger, and their bodies are usually 2m in length. While I was wandering around the great mammals section in the museum a, not very exaggerated, exhibit caught my eye. Cowering behind the hippo stood a very similar looking animal but with one clear difference, a long snout sticking out of its face. I soon discovered that the snout was essential to its survival as it hunts out fruits, nuts or berries to eat and gain nutrients. There are many reasons for visiting the Natural History Museum. I feel it is very important to learn the difference between the species and expand your knowledge. You can never stop learning! Ella Anderson.
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Café Scientifique laboratory Café Scientifique holds a science club on a Wednesday. Some of the activities we have undertaken are;
· · · · · · · · · · · ·
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Making bubbles that defy gravity Making slime and having slime competitions Making soap Making an invisible message appear using slow burning paper Identifying elements in compounds using coloured flame tests Burning methane bubbles on our hands Making ‘elephants toothpaste’ – foam which relights a glowing splint Growing crystals – producing large blue and purple crystals Making stalactites from washing soda Making a lava lamp Making a rainbow reaction in a burette using acids, alkalis and indicator. Burnt alcohol in the whoosh bottle
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HERSTMONCEUX TRIP VISIT TO THE NATIONAL OBSERVATORY
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he pupils from the Lower and Upper 6th form Physics sets visited the open evening at the Herstmonceux Observatory. Their task was to establish a few key principles by examining the exhibits and questioning the site’s astronomers. It proved to be good preparation for the forthcoming Astrophysics option for the Upper Sixth Form IB pupils. Despite the poor visibility, much was seen that helped consolidate the material covered so far in the course and allowed pupils to see at first hand, the methods and equipment referred to in their cours-
have some very inquisitive minds and this topic will have plenty to satisfy them. Jim Culbert
es. The fact that some major discoveries were made at this site and that the staff had direct links to some of the these events and characters added to the effectiveness of occasion. The depth of questions being asked was pleasing; we clearly
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BIOLOGY IN ACTION A DAY OF INFORMATION AND INSPIRATION
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n Wednesday 18th November, thirty three Sixth Form pupils attended five outstanding lectures on the future of Biology – and the new-found powers that are being used to explore our minds, cure ageing, switch on genes, personalise medicine to match our individual genomes and harness the incredible power of plants. Dr Andrew Steele, from Cancer UK examined how we can slow down aging and where there appears to be hope in reversing the process (which was of particular interest to the teachers in the audience!) This talk provoked a lively debate amongst the pupils as to the social implications of prolonged life, but all agreed that there is real hope in reducing the suffering due to age related conditions such as dementia and stroke. Dr Simon Thompson introduced the world of Genomics England, which is attempting to sequence the genomes of 100 000 people who have rare inherited diseases, by 2017 . The aim is to make a genomic medicine service for the NHS and tailor treatments for individuals, thus ensuring that treatments are used to their maximum effectiveness in terms of both outcome and cost. Professor Mark Lythgoe demonstrated that despite dropping out of school, it is possible to become a top academic. He pointed out that unskilled work (in his case the manufacture of plastic pipes) is an excellent stimulus for pursuing academic study! The highlight of his career was to work on Einstein’s brain where he has shown that there are structural differences in the zone associated with spatial manipulation and mathematical skills (more astrocytes than in the control cases – in case you were wondering). The question is: can this be learned or is it inherited?
Dr Kat Arney explained genetic switches to us and this led to a greater appreciation of how quite major changes can happen in evolution with small mutations. She demonstrated how polydactylism could appear (Hemmingway’s cats have six toes and so do some humans) as well as the evolution of freshwater sticklebacks from their marine cousins. One of the most interesting facts she showed was that the difference between the pigmentation in African skin and northern European skin is one base difference in a genetic switch (Africans have the base Adenine where Europeans have the base Guanine in the KITLG gene that controls melanin production) – excellent evidence to show that there is very little difference between the races and a strong argument against racial prejudice. Finally Professor Ottoline Leyser from the Sainsbury Labs at Cambridge argued passionately that plant science is vital and that Sixth Form biologists should seriously consider this field for their Biological Science degrees. More lives are saved by good nutrition than by medicine each day. Plants are the only living organisms that can capture CO2. Plants are also capable of converting sunlight into chemical energy. Plants have a biochemical armoury that may yield new solutions to disease. She also pointed out that genetic modification of plants is a powerful technology and that while there may be some doubts about the practices of some agrichemical organisations this should not put us off the underlying technology – in the same way that we do not consider banning drugs just because some of the pharmaceutical industry have not behaved ethically. As you can see, there was a lot of food for thought and the Sixth Form biologists have had a really challenging and interesting opportunity.
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MARWELL ZOO THIRD FORM FIELD TRIP ON CONSERVATION
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n Tuesday 28th June, the 3rd Form visited Marwell Zoo. This is the location of a centre for conservation with captive breeding programmes for endangered primates (Tamarins and Lemurs), Pygmy Hippos and Grevy’s Zebra as well as being home to a Snow Leopard, Amur Leopard, Amur Tiger, Fossa, White Rhinos and many other fascinating animals. The aim of the trip was for the 3rd Form to observe these animals, consider the role of zoos in conservation and to evaluate the enclosures, looking for features that help the animals feel safe and where they can behave naturally while also permitting a good view for the public. We were lucky and had great views, but there were some concerns regarding their behaviour, particularly the repetitive pacing seen with some of the big cats. We also attended a conservation workshop where the pupils got up close to endangered animal products that had been confiscated by HM Customs at UK ports, as well as different living animals. There was a lively cage of rats, climbing on ropes and up and down the mesh walls of their luxurious cage. Contrastingly the display of snakes was more static as they were calmly lurking within hollowed out logs, much to the relief of our pupils of a more nervous disposition. We were then invited to meet and handle a hissing cockroach and consider the importance of less attractive ani-
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mals within ecosystems. Having been warmed up nicely by an invertebrate, a snake was taken out of its resting place and we were invited to observe it closely and give it a stroke – and to their credit, most of the pupils were brave enough to touch it. Ann Hill Nick Emsley Ben Cochrane
ATLANTIC RAIN FORESTS CLIVE SAUNDERS RETURNS FROM HIS EXPEDITION TO BRAZIL
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t was great to have Mr Clive Saunders, former teacher at KESW, back in school presenting his fascinating talk on the Mata Atlantica (Atlantic Rain Forest) to the Café Scientifique on Thursday. He spent three months in the Regua Forest reserve in Brazil, working as an general wildlife and specialist ornithological guide in the forest after he left our school last summer. In his talk he spent some time explaining how the Atlantic Rain Forest (in the south-east of Brazil, bordering Uruguay and Argentina and reaching up to north of Rio De Janeiro) is much older than the Amazon (65 million years old compared to a mere 14000 years) and has therefore had more time for the evolution of endemic species, resulting in much higher biodiversity. Despite this higher biodiversity, there are many animals that are very close to extinction since they are highly specialist and their habitat is under threat. One notable example is the Golden Lion Tamarin which is the rarest primate species in the forest. To Mr Saunders’ surprise, this rare species is not deep in the forest, but are to be found in a very restricted zone beside a main road!
range has declined to 7% of its original area. As a result there is a major effort to re-forest the area and over one and a half million trees have been planted in the last 16 years. The Regua Forest Reserve is not only involved in conserving the forest and promoting ecotourism (as an important source of funds), but is also a centre for ecological research. The current focuses are on the mosquito (Aedes aegypti, currently notorious for spreading the Zika virus), the efficacy of wildlife corridors to link the fragments of the forest and an attempt to identify the genes responsible for aging using Manakin birds (who outlive similar birds by about 40 years). Mr Saunders’ enthusiasm was infectious and his audience were very appreciative. Ann Hill
The Mata Atlantica itself is under threat due to the expansion of cities and the exploitation of minerals in this area. Its
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SIZE MATTERS CAFÉ SCIENTIFIQUE TALK FROM THE NPL
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racy Scanlon and Clare Greenwell from the National Field work is undertaken to ensure that satellite data is accuPhysical Laboratory came to deliver a talk to the Café Scientifique on the importance of standardization of units and the calibration of instruments. These vital ideas ensure that satellites can orbit our planet , that the measurements that they take can be relied upon and that the timing of financial transactions to the nearest nanosecond is accurate, thanks to the atomic clock. One of the NPL’s greatest responsibilities is to maintain national standards for all weights and measures. This idea was established in the Magna Carta and the original standards ranged from the candela as a measure of light that can be emitted by a lump of whale fat to the kilogram which was based on a lump of metal (to be found at NPL). Now these measures are defined by constants of nature. For example, the caesium atomic clock at NPL is accurate to +/- one second per 150 million years. The NPL has been in the forefront of measurement since 1935 when radar was developed (NB the role played by King Edward’s School Witley where radar was developed during the Second World War). NPL was also involved in the Turing machine (the automatic computing engine) and in 1966 they developed packetswitching which was a vital development for data storage. In 2010 high definition cameras to monitor railway tunnels were calibrated to enhance safety. In 2014 non-invasive drug testing for cocaine was developed and augmented reality holographic lenses appeared in 2015. Currently work on Graphene as a possible basis for new touch screens is underway.
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rate, using a cryogenic radiometer and sun photometer. These can be used to look at rates of deforestation and leaf area index to give accurate information about man’s impact on the environment. This will be compared to a cryogenic radiometer, which will be launched soon, to compare the satellite data and confirm these data. Tracy and Clare also measured the light wavelengths from different bulbs with particular interest in blue light from phones, using photometry. This is of importance due to the disruption of circadian rhythms due to light from electronic devices. Ben Cochrane Physics
CHEMISTRY IN ACTION 6TH FORM CHEMISTS IN LONDON
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. D. Galbraith Head of Chemistry
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SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM OXBRIDGE PROFESSORS INSPIRE KING EDWARD’S
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n Wednesday 3rd February, King Edward’s Science School hosted a Science Symposium in conjunction with the Oxford International Biomedical Centre. The topic was “Modifying Organisms” and we were privileged to have three Professors (two from Oxford and one from Cambridge) as our speakers with plenty of opportunity to discuss and ask questions. Professor Paul Fairchild from the Sir William Dunn School of pathology (University of Oxford) spoke to us about Stem Cell Technology and regenerative medicine, explaining the route that stem cell has taken and giving us some idea of where it may lead in future, delving beneath the headlines and hype to distinguish fact from fiction. The response of the pupils was very positive to his presentation:
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rom a 5th Form pupil: “Professor Fairchild’s talk was enthusiastic but not over the top. His ideas and explanations saw no hint of condescension, yet were easy to comprehend. He certainly provided an insightful talk on stem cells and reinforced my idea to perhaps look at medicine.”
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rom a Sixth Form pupil: “Professor Fairchild talked about some very important points, in terms of ethics but also facts about stem cell research. I liked how open-minded he was when answering questions and how he passed on his wide knowledge to us.”
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rom a 6th Form pupil: “I learned more about stem cells than I had previously known. Professor Fairchild’s talk was engaging: simple, yet explanatory and informative. The ethics of the subject were particularly interesting, although I don’t necessarily agree with his views.” Professor Jane Langdale from the Department of Plant Science, University of Oxford spoke about GM technology in both animals and plants. She gave an overview of the ways in which organisms have been genetically modified (by natural random mutation, domestication, the irradiation of seeds followed by artificial selection and by GM technology) and outlined some of the techniques. She then considered why GM crops have not been accepted by some environmentalist activists and looked at the implications for farmers in a world of intensive agriculture and food production for an ever increasing human population. She certainly shook up some pre-conceived ideas and provoked some very positive reactions:
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rom a 4th Form pupil
“Professor Langdale was very interesting. She made really good points about GM plants and food production. She has very strong opinions and made me think about this topic.”
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rom a 4th Form pupil
“…the only female Professor present at the meeting, which is inspiring enough, and she included
personal opinion in the general debate at the end, which I personally loved.”
giving us research on stem cells and genetic modification in re-specialising cells.”
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rom a Sixth Form pupil
“It was quite simple to understand her good explanation of GM products and she included her personal opinion, which is really interesting, since she is a real expert.”
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rom a Sixth Form pupil:
“I thought this was the most interesting topic. It’s something that I personally am interested in. I felt very lucky to have an Oxford professor take the time to visit our school.” The final speaker was Professor Roger Barker from the Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Cambridge. He spoke to us about the quest for a cure for Parkinson’s Disease. As a condition, Parkinson’s Disease ought to be an excellent target for stem cell repair. Professor Barker took us on a tour of the approaches to treatment of Parkinson’s including explaining the pros and cons of clinical trials, double blind trials, tissue transplant and the mixed results of the research. Currently a new trial is being planned that will ensure that there is coordination of the research and it is hoped that more effective therapies can be developed. As a 5th form pupil said: “It was a great way to end. It may have been accidental but it brought the other two presentations together
rom a 4th Form pupil
“Professor Barker – Fantastic, he engaged with the audience and was by far the best speaker.”
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rom a 5th Form pupil
“He spoke very enthusiastically about his career and the progress (or not) made in the treatment of Parkinson’s. He was inspiring and makes me want to find out more about brain repair.”
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rom a Sixth Form pupil:
“Professor Barker talked about brain repair, specialising in Parkinson’s disease. He really gave us an understanding of his specialisation. He managed to do so by giving us recent numbers of people having this disease and their progress - this made his topic more interesting. I also liked that he showed us what the research has found in the past, its ups and downs and what they are hoping for in the future.” Overall, the pupils of King Edward’s learned a huge amount about the modern biological approaches to some of the serious medical and agricultural challenges of the 21st century. I hope that many of them will consider studying Biology in the future so that they can take part in finding solutions that will make a positive impact in the future.
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GROUP 4 PROJECT PHYSICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE AT BROOKLANDS
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ver a two-day period, the Lower 6th Physics, DT and ICT pupils undertook their IB Group 4 Project. This involved a day spent at Brooklands Museum of Aviation and Motorsport as well as a day back at KESW in the labs. We have made much use of the museum over the years and it was good to be back, knowing how well it suits our pupils' needs. The Brooklands day saw the pupils receive an IB-tailored tour of the site by our KESW staff to allow their imaginations to be sparked , while letting the museum environment and exhibits inspire their research questions. The pupils were fully engaged in research, experiencing the Concord, using the F1 simulator and gleaning information from the museum volunteers. The research focused on the turning effects, wing design, bicycle strength and design etc. These investigations were then carried out back at KESW and day two finished with presentations employing numerous media and delivering a new insight into the subjects covered. We have had a long educational association with Brooklands Museum and have built its resources into our IB scheme of work as well as having developed resources for the Museum. Recently, the KESW Physics Department has contributed to the consultations on the redevelopment of the site with a focus on its role in education and we are looking forward to continued use of such a valuable and rare venue, J. Culbert Head of Physics page 24
Physics in Action On Thursday the 12th December, our Sixth Form Physics students headed into central London to attend the Physics in Action day at UCL’s Logan Hall. Pupils studying both the IB and A-Level courses were invited and over twenty five came along. The day included six lectures spread across the morning and afternoon given by a variety of professors and academics from the university. Topics ranged from “The Science of Global Natural Disasters” to “Measuring Temperature with Sound”- one lecture was even titled, “Is your City Smarter than a Sea Cucumber?”. The speakers were fun and engaging, and even humorous at times. Using cutting-edge apparatus from the University labs, they demonstrated the evidence behind their varying theories and showed what they were working on at the moment. Cameras broadcasted what was happening so the whole room could see. They often went on to explain the global implications of their work and how it would be contributing to a positive future. All in all, it was a very intellectually stimulating day, with the students on the bus home commenting how inspirational it was. Tom Martis-Jones Sixth Form
TOP OF THE BENCH CHEMISTS IN COMPETITION
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op of the Bench is a national competition run by the Royal Society of Chemistry for 14-16 year old students. The competition begins with heats, where students have their knowledge and practical skills tested through a series of tasks, run by RSC local sections, to select a team to represent that section in the UK final the following year. This year King Edward’s was represented at Ardingly College by Conor Rajan and Oliver Wootton from the 3rd Form, Shannon White from the 4th Form and Remi Trovo from the 5th Form. They all equipped themselves very well but unfortunately, as a team, our chemists did not make the final. D. Galbraith (Head of Chemistry)
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HOW BUBBLES ARE FORMED… When wind pushes against the surface of water, a bit like when you blow your cup of tea. This is how waves break. Bubbles get pulled and stretched and break into two bubbles, eventually you get a cascade of more bubbles. Bubbles can also be made in solution or experiment, for example: measuring the rate of photosynthesis.
BUBBLES & SOUND… Bubbles create and take in sound. Bigger bubbles produce a deeper sound; whilst smaller bubbles produce a higher note. WHEN CAN YOU HEAR BUBBLES? When the last of a liquid goes down a plughole, as it is trapping air. When your tummy rumbles/gurgles, your tummy is empty and traps air producing bubbles. When you click your finger joints, you make bubbles in your joints.
BUBBLES & ANIMALS… Marine Snails (Janthina janthina), breathe out into mucus This makes bubbles, enabling the snails to rise The snails pop their bubbles when they don’t want to be seen and they sink. BUBBLES & ICE… Ice that looks white contains bubbles Ice isn’t actually white, but appears white to us because of the white light that enters the ice and comes back out. The real colour of ice is royal blue when clear and pure If ice was to melt and lose its bubbles and refreeze, the substance would be pure and appear blue Jaylin Robinson (5th Form pupil)
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What Do Science Teachers Do? We make Scientists
We inspire curiosity and a willingness to inquire We help you to make sense of the world We teach you to understand and make the stuff that is going to be the basis of our economies We give you the tools to answer questions and promote life long learning
We help you make informed choices in a democratic setting We help you understand the consequences of your actions page 28